Waiting Game
by toomanyfandomsnotenoughtime
Summary: Being stuck inside an elevator all night was one thing. But being stuck inside an elevator with a stranger who makes your heart race, and also happens to be the best friend of the brother you never knew you had was going to make for an interesting night.
1. Chapter 1

**My first story that I'm actually going to write, so apologies for the quality! This chapter is basically just introducing you to the AU world I've created, and stuff so it's not really that exciting but I hope it will get better!**

**Description - Being stuck inside an elevator for 14 hours was one thing. But being stuck inside an elevator for 14 hours with a stranger who makes your heart race, and who also happens to be the best friend of the brother you never knew you have is going to make for an interesting night.**

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own One Tree Hill, Naley, or James Lafferty (but how i wish i did) and Bethany Joy Galeotti and whatever other characters appear in this story. I am merely using them to create my own little scenario.**

**Got the idea from ilovenaley 's story High Heel and Blushes, though this one is completely different! The only thing that's the same is that they get stuck in an elevator.**

**Anyhow... read on :)**

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Walking along the wet sidewalk he couldn't help the sigh that passed over his lips. He couldn't believe he was doing this, couldn't believe that he had to do this.

It shouldn't really have surprised him that his father had been keeping something like this from him for so long. Dan Scott had been manipulating and overbearing for as long as Nathan could remember, but even this was a little twisted for the man he had once called 'Dad'. Yet here he was, walking along the drizzly streets of a city he didn't know, about to meet the brother he had never known.

Lucas. That was his name, the brother Dan had never told him in his 24 years on this planet. All those years of Dan grilling him, bullying him, of being alone. He had a brother. He could remember clearly the moment he had found out about him. About Lucas. He had been visiting 'home', a term he used loosely, and had found pictures all through Lucas's childhood in his father's study, spread across the desk. Dan had come home to find him sitting there, reading the articles and looking at the pictures, wondering what the hell was going on. Wondering what kind of sick joke Dan was pulling.

Dan had calmly explained everything. He had gotten his high school girlfriend pregnant right before graduation, had left her to play basketball, and gotten his mom pregnant with him 6 months later. He left Karen with the baby and married his mom, and the rest was history. He'd never met his illegitimate son, but had been keeping tabs on him for years. Not even Nathan's mom knew about.

To say he was shocked would've been an understatement. All those years of being an only child had been a lie. Did Lucas know about him and just choose to ignore it? He didn't know. But that's why he was strolling the streets of New York in the rain, looking for a specific address where he hoped he would meet the brother he'd never known, not sure what to expect.

All he knew was that Lucas had grown up in Tree Hill, North Carolina, the same home town of his father - which he now understood why his father had never returned to. He had grown up with his mother Karen Roe, and her husband, Keith Scott, Dan's brother, and another family member Nathan never knew about - the two hadn't spoken since Dan had left Tree Hill just over 25 years ago. They also had a daughter Lily, who would be about 15 now.

Nathan couldn't help the jealousy that bubbled through him as he compared the stable, loving upbringing his 'brother' had compared to what he had gone through, but he quickly ignored it, as he looked up at the tall apartment block in front of him. He was here. He quickly slipped inside the lobby, which was empty bar a woman about the same age as him looking through the pockets of her coat, swearing to herself, and made his way to the elevator.

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Looking out the window, Haley couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. She loved the rain. Had for as long as she could remember. And tonight she didn't care that she was sitting in an apartment on the tenth floor, while the wind and rain battered and raged against the building. To her it just it all the more exciting.

"Lucas! Have you seen the storm?" she shouted through the apartment to here roommate and best friend Lucas Roe, who was sitting on the sofa at the other end of the apartment playing NBA Live. Boys! Why didn't he want to look out the window and admire the craziness going outside the window? He was an aspiring author for goodness sake; he was supposed to get kicks out of things like this, not NBA Live that he played every night.

"Yeah Hales, it's raining. It's the same as it was an hour ago when you made me come stare out the window with you, and an hour before that when I was actually out in it", he teased without lifting his eyes off the game. At least he wasn't brooding she though, which he had been doing since his girlfriend Lindsay had dumped him. He'd moved on from wallowing to trying to be ad masculine as possible, and was now sporting a rugged 'man' look, which he told her was the new 'Lucas', to which she laughed at.

They had been friends since they were 7 years old, and had met each other at the park. He'd been reading a book, and she'd come over to him to talk to him about it, and the two had instantly become joined at the hip. Loads of people had joked (or not joked, she shuddered) that they would end up married some day, and have a total Joey/Dawson relationship, but really their relationship was completely platonic, acting more like brother and sister than star crossed lovers - the thought of that making her slightly queasy.

But here they were living in New York together, him an aspiring author, and her a high school English teacher. Her girl best friend Brooke lived just a couple blocks away with her fiancé Julian Baker. Where Lucas was like her in every way, Brooke was her polar opposite, but it was what made them click. Friends since sophomore year where  
Lucas had dated the head cheerleader, briefly, before they decided that they would work better as friends and Haley had slotted in comfortably, the two of them becoming three. Brooke had changed a lot since then, becoming her own person and letting go of the insecurities she'd held in high school. And now she was getting married.

"Hey, I'm just gonna pop over to Brooke's for a bit, talk about wedding plans. You're boring me here," she teased, laughing when he paused his game to turn and look at her incredulously.

"Hales... Have you seen the weather outside? You want to go out in that? Are you crazy?" he laughed, shaking his head at her. Sometimes he really didn't understand that girl. "And I am NOT boring! Do you want me to come with you?"

"Whatever Mr Boredom. I wouldn't want you to part with your precious play station. And she lives not a 10 minute walk away. If it gets any worse outside I'll just stay for the night, Julian's in LA for the week visiting his family, so it's not like I'd be imposing myself on them. Relax dude!" she rambled grabbing her coat, stopping to ruffle his hair as she passed. "Bye!"

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Making her way down the elevator and into the lobby, checking she had everything, she didn't notice the soaking wet man making his way into the building. She cursed softly to herself as she realised she didn't have her keys, before rushing back to the elevator just in time to stop the door closing. Stepping, she noticed that her floor had already been pressed; she leaned against the wall and waited for the long climb up to floor 10. Taking the time to study the stranger opposite her.

The first thing she noticed was his height. He was tall. Very tall. Much taller that her 5'4" stature. And he was ripped, from what she could tell from his jeans and the way his wet jacket stretched across his chest. There was no denying this guy was what some people would call a 'hottie'. His head was facing down to his hands, where he held a piece of paper tight between them, so she couldn't make out his face. He was probably visiting her neighbour across the hall, who always seemed to have strange, but good looking men coming in and out her apartment.

He moved, taking off his black dripping jacket leaving him in a black shirt and jeans, and she couldn't help her eyes roaming over his chest and arms shown nicely in the rolled up sleeves. Oh yeah, he was definitely hot.

Nathan removed his jacket, not wanting the first time he meets his brother looking like a drowned rat. Looking at the woman across from him, he noticed the way her eyes were moving over his body, before catching his and looking away quickly. Wait, was she blushing? He couldn't tell because of the way she'd turned and was now staring at the button panel.

He took the opportunity to give her a one over. She was pretty hot, from what he could tell. Not usually his type, but he couldn't help the way his heart sped up a little as they roamed over her curves. Her golden blonde hair was swept up into a messy bun on the top of her head, and her jeans and sweater combo just made him more attracted to her. She was normal, not some fake, the kind of girls who he had gotten really sick of over the years.

Glancing down at the bit of paper, he sighed. Even looking at pretty women wasn't going to take his mind off what he was here to do. He was torn between wanting the elevator to hurry the hell up so he could get it over and done with, or it going even slower so he had more time to prepare.

And then, the elevator stopped and the lights went out.

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***cowers* It wasn't too bad was it? Should I continue or just give up writing all together? :P**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay so here is chapter 2! I'm so sorry it's taken so long to update! Everything just started to pile up, and then I got distracted with Always Attract (which you should go read, then vote on my profile for which one you would like to see continued)! But here is Chapter 2, which is much longer than chapter 1 as promised...**

**I know exactly where this story is going and have a detailed 20 chapter plan so far, which i did last night, so hopefully it won't take as long for the next update.**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter, though it is quite slow (they're stuck in an elevator... not much can really happen) but I promise more is to come!**

**DISCLAIMER - bla bla bla I don't own Nathan or Haley... bla bla bla or One Tree Hill... bla bla bla... I merely borrow them for my own amusement.**

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Shit.

Glancing up at the little sign above the doors that told you what floor you were on, she saw that the light there had gone out too. Great. She knew that the maintenance guy hadn't been able to make it in for the past couple of days due to the bad weather, and she didn't know how long it would be until an engineer could be sent to fix the buildings power issue. Turning to the button panel next to her pressed the button that should contact the engineers.

"Hello how can we help you?" an annoyingly cheery voice spoke out of the speaker. Didn't the person on the other side of the call understand that there was nothing cheery about being stuck in an elevator during a power cut?

"Hi, we're stuck in the elevator in my apartment block and the lights have gone out. How long will it be until it can get it fixed?" she spoke urgently into the little microphone. She wanted out as soon as possible. How was she supposed to enjoy the storm stuck inside a small metal box suspended in mid air, 5 floors up?

"Sorry, it doesn't look like anybody is going to be able to get out to you until tomorrow morning because of the storm. Most roads are being closed and we've had to send many of our technicians home. Sorry for the inconvenience."

"Inconvenience? You're sorry for the inconvenience? We're stuck in an elevator, with no power and no way of getting out! What if we get run out of oxygen? Oh my god we're going to run out of oxygen..."

Nathan couldn't help the slight chuckle that came to him as he watched the woman opposite him shout hysterically into the elevator wall. Although there was nothing remotely funny about the fact he was stuck here until morning, he had an inkling that his company would definitely make it interesting.

Watching her get all hot and bothered rambling into the microphone about the ways in which she could die, he couldn't help the way his eyes roamed her body once again, now from the back. Damn this girl had a serious ass. And amazing curves, but he instantly felt bad for thinking it since he barely knew her. She didn't seem like the kind of person that would appreciate it if she found out a total stranger was perving on her.

On that note, he decided to take pity on the poor woman in the technician's office and made the few steps over to where the woman was standing, leaning over her, putting a hand on her waist to still her, and spoke into the microphone, effectively interrupting her rants.

"Thanks for the help, just please get someone over here as soon as possible. Thanks." He took a step back and went back to 'his' side of the elevator and slid down the wall so that he was sitting, his smirk widening at the slight blush that covered the face of the woman opposite him, his smirk turning into a grin as she copied his position and slid down the wall opposite him.

Of course she had to blush when the extremely handsome, good looking guy opposite her, whom she would be spending the next 14 hours in close proximity with, smiled at her. God, he had to practically remove her from where she was shouting at a wall. She could feel her face heat up even more, when thinking of the way his hand brushed up against he hip as he pressed against her...

Only two minutes into her 'sentence' in the confined place and she was already going crazy. When had she become a hormonal teenager all over again? Surely she was passed the stage of practically giggling whenever a good looking guy spoke to her.

"Nathan Scott." He nodded over at her, but she had been too busy with her internal discussion that she had no idea what he had said and she returned his bemused look with a confused one of her own.

"What? Who? Where?" she babbled back, inwardly cringing at the fact she had completely zoned out on him, and had most probably embarrassed herself. What a great first impression, he probably thinks she's a complete idiot.

"My name? My name is Nathan. Scott. Nathan Scott." he teased back, mockingly speaking extremely slowly. He didn't care if he was grinning like an idiot; this girl was just too adorable. He looked pointedly at her, and nodded, but when she continued to stare at him blankly he chuckled, adding, "I thought I may as well introduce myself seeing as though we are going to be spending the night together." Adding a joking wink just for good measure.

"Wait wait wait... What exactly are you implying with that? That just because we're stuck together all night I'm going to have sex with a complete stranger just so..."

"Whoa... I was only joking, just trying to lighten the mood. I'm not expecting anything... Like that! I'm not some creepy pervert, I promise! I'm not that guy..." Anymore. He added internally. He wasn't they guy anymore. Hadn't been in a long while. Gone were the days of bedding random women in order to fill some kind of void in his life. He'd learned living that way wasn't good the wrong way...

"Oh... Right..." she smiled. She had been worried for a minute there, thinking she had been potentially stuck with some creepy leering guy in a confined space for a whole night. That could have been nasty. He seemed genuinely worried that he had offended her, and she couldn't help but smile a little, as she noticed she wasn't the only one who rambled. It was actually kind of cute. Seeing the sombre look on his face she decided to give the guy a chance. "Haley. Haley James."

His head snapped up, smiling. "Nice to meet you Haley James." and whoa... She could practically feel her insides melt as he said her name. It seemed that teenage Haley was here to stay, as his voice saying her name just kept repeating over and over again in her head.

"Nice to meet you too Nathan."

They both collapsed into a comfortable silence. He with his eyes closed and his head tilted backwards, legs stretched out in front of him. Her with her legs in a basket, her arms wrapped around her body, sneaking glances at the man across from her.

She was sure she had never seen him before in her life, but there was something about him that she recognised from somewhere. He seemed lost, both by being in New York and lost in himself, she was sure of it. He definitely wasn't from around here. Although appearing relaxed in his stretched out form, he was tense about something, and relieved in the way he had sighed as he had slid down the wall. There was something mysterious about this man. And for some strange reason, she had the feeling that she wanted to get to know him.

"I haven't seen you around here before... Where are you from?" she spoke into the silence, smiling warmly at him as he opened his eyes and returned with a smile of his own. Small talk was a good start. They were going to be spending a full night together; they might as well make a start on the small talk.

"I grew up in California, a small town just outside Los Angeles," he replied. So he must be a long way from home. She wondered if he was working in New York City, or just visiting.

"I went to California for college. Stanford University" she butt in, a little smugly. Stanford had been her dream come true, everything she had worked for. She was proud of being a Stanford graduate. Both she and Luke had had a great four years there before returning East and moving to New York. "But I'm from North Carolina, a little town on the coast. Moved to Manhattan with my best friend after college."

"Stanford's a great school. Funnily enough I went to school in North Carolina. Duke on basketball scholarship." he replied. "I live in back in LA now."

"That's so weird! Go Tar Heels!" she attempted to impress him, for god knows why. She knew absolutely nothing about basketball and college sport, but the fact that her best friend had played all through high school, had dragged her to a few games, and never stopped watching, playing and talking about it, she had picked up some things.

Nathan couldn't help it. He burst out laughing, his booming laugh filling up the small space. Once again he found himself calling this girl adorable. Getting Duke University and the Tar Heels could get her into trouble one day. And she was supposed to be a North Carolina girl!

"Blue Devils, Hales. Duke's team are the Blue Devils. Tar Heels are UNC's team... Duke's rival?" he said between chuckles. He noticed the blush rise up her cheeks. "I'm guessing you're not a fan of college sport then?"

"Not really. I'm pretty useless at sport in general. Most of my guy friends in high school played basketball, though I see I failed to pick anything up." Haley does it again. Completely embarrasses herself in front of strangers. She should really just keep her mouth shut in the future.

He laughed, surprised at how relaxed they were with each other - well as relaxed as you could be in a jammed elevator. "I'm guessing you live in this building? Or are you visiting someone?"

"Oh, yeah I live on the tenth floor with my best friend. You're visiting someone?"

"Yeah... I'm visiting... Family." he struggled with the words. How had his life gotten this complicated? Surely it couldn't get any more confusing?

"Shoot. I should probably ring Luke actually. He thinks I'm at my friend Brooke's house. She's getting married in a few months..."

She continued to ramble on while searching through her pockets, not noticing how Nathan's head snapped up. Luke? Surely this woman sitting across from him wasn't living with his estranged brother?

"Luke?" he interrupted, trying to hide the desperation in his voice, which fortunately she didn't notice as she continued searching for her phone.

"Yeah Lucas. That's my best friend, and roommate. Once we get out of here you can come meet him if you want... And I seem to have left my phone upstairs! Gah, Lucas'll probably think I'm just crashing at Brooke's because of the storm."

"And I left mine back at my hotel room since it had no battery life, and I didn't think to bring my charger to New York with me. Super." he replied distracted. Lucas lived with the woman he was stuck in an elevator all night with. What kind of sick joke was that?

He quickly steered the conversation away from that, and they both sat talking about their jobs. He learned that she was a high school English teacher in the city. It was obvious how much she loved it, with the way her eyes sparkled as she told him all about the schemes she's put in place for the kids, and all of the things she wanted to do for them.

He told her all about how he'd made it as a pro basketball player with the Seattle Sonics, but after only a few games playing he'd badly injured his back and had been working at his father's business since,. Though it wasn't what he wanted to do.

"Seriously what is it with guys and basketball? Lucas is obsessed with it!" she laughed. Basketball. It had once been everything in his life. Now it was something he had in common with his brother.

Subtly steering the conversation away from Lucas again, they started to banter about their male and female stereotypes, until she looked at her watch and realised how long they had been stuck for.

"Whoa it's been 3 hours. Time goes by when you're having fun!" she joked. They still had a long time together in this elevator. And it was starting to get cold too; she couldn't help the small shiver that ran through her body.

"Really? It's longer than I thought." he replied, before noticing how she shivered, realising how cold it had gotten. "You cold?"

"A little bit... I guess they don't have heaters in the elevator system," she joked.

Nathan immediately shrugged off his still slightly damp jacket, and took off the sweater he was wearing underneath, handing it to Haley with a smile. She was shocked at his thoughtfulness, but put the jumper on nonetheless, thanking him. God it smelled so good.

"So tell me about you're family." she asked, hitting the one subject he'd been trying his best to avoid.

"I'd rather hear about yours." he replied, his tone, leaving no room for expansion of discussion. There was some kind of mystery to this man that made Haley yearn to learn everything there was to know about him, but for now, she let it slide. They'd only known each other for a few hours, he didn't owe her anything.

"Well, I'm the youngest child of 7, and I have three sisters and three brothers. It was a little chaotic growing up, but it was fun." she smiled. Although they had sometimes struggled to get by, there was never a dull moment in the James home.

"What about your parents, do they still live in... Tree Hill?" he asked, imagining their home filled with kids, growing up with brothers and sisters. It was the kind of life he had always wanted.

"They're a little hippy-like and totally crazy to tell you the truth. But they loved us all equally and never let us feel angry or annoyed at each other for very long. They still own our home in Tree Hill, but they bought an SUV a couple years back, and have been travelling around the country in it ever since. They visit us all though, we're all pretty spread out."

She wrapped his sweater around herself some more and started telling him all about each member of her family, and what they were all doing and where they were. Nathan was surprised by how interested he was. She sounded pretty close to them all, even though she only saw most of them a few times a year, and it made him think about the kind of relationship he and Lucas could have had.

They continued talking to each other, about everything and anything, both finding the conversation coming easy to them. The discussion on books versus movie versions was coming to a close, both agreeing that mostly movie versions of books were awful, when Nathan found himself wanting to confide in her about the mess that was his family.

"My Mom's in rehab." He suddenly blurted out, to the surprise with Haley, who was now beginning to understand why he looked so lost. "The reason I didn't want to talk about my family is because it's so messed up. And hearing about your family and how you grew up is making me realise how messed up it really was."

"Nathan, believe me, my family is far from perfect." She began, before realising that that probably wasn't going to help. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Did he want to talk about it? Not really, but for some reason he wanted to open up to this girl, wanted her to know him. He had never really told anyone, except his best friend any of the problems his family had had over the years, but with Haley it felt natural to talk about it.

"My dad… Is a bully for lack of a better term. All he ever really cares about is basketball. He always pushed me harder, forcing me to get better, telling me I would never be good enough. When I made it to the pros, I still wasn't good enough. I still hadn't beaten him. He would phone me and tell me everything I was doing wrong. Tell me I was stupid and worthless and didn't deserve what I had become, because I would only lose it. I wasn't good enough to keep my spot on the Sonics." He was pouring his heart out to her, letting it all go. Even Peyton hadn't known most of this. Haley just sat and listened. She looked at him with sympathy, but not the fake "I feel sorry for you" kind… the real kind in which, if he hadn't only known her for a couple hours, he would have thought she actually cared.

"My mom had been drinking for years, which Dad had just ignored, and I hate myself for it, ignored it too. But after my back injury, when I had to come home, Dan's bullying just got worse. We found my mom a few months ago, overdosed. Apparently she'd been abusing with prescription drugs for a while. None of us even noticed." He could feel his anger and frustration ebbing away at him as he relived finding his mom passed out on the kitchen floor. He had his eyes closed, and his head in his hands. He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, and opened his eyes to see that Haley had come over to his side of the elevator.

Haley felt her heart break for Nathan. His life just sounded awful, at least from what he told her it had been. He covered her hand with his own, gripping it gently as he told her all about how he had been your average 'bad boy' at school, as a way of releasing some of that anger he felt towards his family life. How he had had to move his mother into a rehabilitation centre on his own, as his dad had been too busy 'working' to even bother helping.

"And that brings us to here. Why I'm in New York City," he finished, looking at her for the first time since he had let loose. She had tears in her eyes, but looked at him encouragingly to continue.

"To visit family, right?"

"Well, yes, but not exactly." And he told her all about finding out he had a brother, but leaving who his brother out of it.

Haley was taking it all in. She couldn't imagine growing up in the hostile environment he had. Adding on the fact that his father had kept his brother hidden from him all these years was just the icing on the cake. He was really just some poor lost soul trying to find where he belonged in this world, looking for the family he always wished he had. She thought of her own growing up, how close her family had been to her, including her unofficial family of Brooke and Lucas, who were closer to her than any sibling had ever been. Just as she was thinking of Lucas, something clicked.

"Scott. Your last name is Scott." She cut him off, looking at him in shock. It was then she realised why he had seemed slightly familiar. His eyes. His eyes were the same as Lucas's, though where Lucas's were more a light greyish blue, Nathan's were a deeper sky blue. They were both the same age, from what she could tell. Both were very tall. Both loved basketball. She was starting to feel dizzy as it all dawned on her.

Nathan watched her warily as he saw the different emotions cross her face as she found realisation in their situation.

"Lucas is your brother?" she stammered. It all made so much sense. Lucas's father had abandoned Karen, leaving her to raise him all on her own, but Keith, his father's brother had taken place and helped Karen. Keith hadn't had any contact with Dan since, but whenever Lucas's father was mentioned or brought up in conversation, Keith simply said he was an ass and that was it. Did Keith know about Nathan? Surely not or he would have said something.

"I was on my way to see if I could meet him. Even if just to see he was real, if it was all true. Though I would understand if he didn't want to see me." Haley grabbed his hand, still feeling a little overwhelmed by it all. "And then the elevator got stuck. And I found out you were… you! It just… Can you tell me about him?"

He looked to Haley, who was sitting to his right, looking up at him with a sad expression. She started telling him about the things Lucas and she had done together, sometimes with Brooke. He laughed at some of the things, like when they would go to the Lost and Found and claim random things, and smiled at the times she told him how Lucas had helped her through tough times like crushed gone wrong, and breakups.

They both got closer and closer together as the time passed quickly, and both were soon huddling together under an arrangements of their jackets and sweaters as it got colder in the small elevator. Neither knew when the conversation stopped, but both had soon fallen asleep, Haley with her head resting on Nathan's shoulder, Nathan with his resting on top of hers. And despite the excitement and shock of what they had both discovered in the elevator, and the uncomfortable sleeping arrangements, both were surprised by how well they had slept.

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Nathan stretched as he woke up, before opening his eyes, taking in his surroundings. It took a few minutes for him to wake up, and remember why he was in a strange metal box, and quickly glancing down to his shoulder he saw the weight he could feel against the right side of him. Haley James. He couldn't even remember when they had fallen asleep, but checking his watch he saw it was morning so they must have been sleeping for some time.

He continued to watch her sleep, fascinated with analysing her face as she slept. He had entrusted in her last night, things he had never told anyone, and he didn't even really know her. But want to know her, he did. He was so drawn to her, and he prayed everything would work out with Lucas, so that he could stay in contact with her, become her friend, get closer to her.

Haley's eyes started to flutter, and she felt the ache in her back from the way she had been lying seep in. Quickly pushing up, she was met with the most intense gaze from the brightest blue eyes she had ever seen, and was hit with everything that had happened the night before. The things he had told her, the way they got on with each other last night, and the way he was staring at her, she couldn't look away.

They didn't know how long they stayed like that, sitting so close, just staring at each other with intense gazes, Haley with a shy smile, Nathan with a serious look on his face, almost scared. But before Nathan could even comprehend what he was doing, he was leaning in ever so slowly. She could feel his breath on her face, and her eyes snapped shut.

He was literally a millimetre away from brushing his lips with hers, when that annoying voice called through the elevator, alerting them that an engineer was looking at the elevator, and it would be working again in a few seconds.

Both broke out of the trance, and jumped away from each other, pressing against opposite sides of the elevator, picking up their things and composing themselves, as they felt the elevator start to move.

"Just press the button of the floor you would like to go to, and you should be on your way. Thank you for your patience." The voice told them, and both Nathan and Haley reached over to press the button for floor 10, their fingers bumping, causing them to look anywhere but each other as they felt a small electric shock. What just happened?

As the elevator started to climb back up, Haley managed to compose herself, and glancing over at Nathan, she remembered why he was there in the first place.

"Ready to meet your brother?"

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**Okay so there you have it... I promise it does get better...**

**How do you think Lucas will react to having a brother? Will Naley forget about their almost-kiss? **

**So please review and read my little fun drabbles in Always Attract! thank you for taking the time to read my fic!**


	3. Chapter 3

**So here is the next chapter! I wasn't originally going to update today, but I was on my computer and I thought, I really need to finish chapter 3, and once I started writing I just didn't stop! Not much really happens again, but I promise it's just warming up ! I'm just kind of setting the scene and what not :P **

**ATTENTION DAWSON'S CREEK FANS - I uploaded a little Post 4.21 fic if you wanted to check it out :) Basically Joey's thoughts post 421 and about what happened between her and Pacey at prom :) **

**ATTENTION NON-DAWSON'S CREEK FANS - you should check out the show! I only started watching it recently, and I actually love it! It's filmed in Wilmington as you know and it's fun to point out all the similar settings as Tree Hill xD Plus there's a lot of DC references on OTH which i now understand! And if that still doesn't interest you... do it for the 90s hair-dos and music 3 haha :P**

**Anyway... Read on! **

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The elevator doors opened way too soon for his liking, which he supposed was surprising since that had to have been the longest elevator experience in history. He followed Haley to the door on that floor with the cute little plant pot next to it, which he guessed Haley had put there, but halted a few steps away from it.

He wasn't sure if he could do it. Maybe this whole trip was a bad idea. Sure Lucas and he shared the same father, but that didn't make them brothers. They'd never met before and he hadn't known of Lucas's existence for 24 years of his life. Maybe it was just too late for that bond to be made. And that thought brought a whole new range of worries. What if Lucas did know that Dan had had another son? Had known about it all along, but just didn't want to find him. Didn't want a brother, especially one so damaged and broken as he was. Haley might not have known about Lucas's estranged half brother, but it didn't mean Lucas didn't. He doubted they told each other absolutely everything.

Haley. Of course Lucas had a gorgeous, sexy, spunky best friend. And of course Nathan was going to get stuck in an elevator with her and find himself attracted to her, opening up to her, practically pouring his heart out to her. Way to make everything ten times more complicated Nathan! Right now he needed to focus on what he came here to do. He couldn't even think of getting involved with Haley. Plus didn't that break one of those rules brothers are supposed to have?

He didn't know how long he was standing there, getting lost in his thoughts, but when he looked in front of himself, he saw her looking at him worriedly. Beckoning him forward, she gave his hand a squeeze, to reassure him. Maybe they could just be friends. Even if everything didn't work out with Lucas, he supposed they could still keep in touch as friends. There was something about this girl that he was already attached to, and couldn't even think of leaving behind and forgetting about.

"It's okay Nathan, we can do this another day if it helps?" He didn't think he could manage another day trying to build up the courage to do this. There was nothing standing in the way now. He had to do it.

"I have to do this..." he tried to explain to her, squeezing her hand." I just... I don't... I'm nervous."

It was completely understandable how he was feeling. She couldn't begin to imagine what he had to deal with. She felt a little anger towards his father, for making him have to go through this, making Lucas have to go through this, but she was sure in the end they would be okay. It was going to a big shock, but she was going to make sure, no matter what, that this worked. For Lucas's sake as well as for Nathan, who even though she had just met, she felt like she had known him for years.

"Lucas will be fine, I promise. He may be a little shocked, may even get a little brooding and quiet, though he's always like that but... I'll be your sidekick if anything goes wrong... I'm just going to go inside and make sure he's up and ready... You can sit in the den."

She showed him to the sitting area, with it's comfy sofas, computer desk, and packed bookshelves He couldn't help but study the place It not only told him what his brother was like, but what Haley was like to, and he found that her presence in the room had a calming effect on him. Sitting down on the two-piece sofa, he continued taking everything in, while trying to get his nerves in tact, as he waited for Haley to come back.

Her search for Lucas didn't take very long, and she found him in the bathroom, just finishing shaving that god awful scruff he had sporting for a while. At least he was going to look presentable for one of the most life changing moments of his life.

"Hey Hales, I didn't hear you come in... did you stay at Brooke's last night?" he asked when he noticed her standing in the doorway. He didn't even glance her way or notice the anxious look on her face, as he checked his face in the mirror for any spots he may have missed.

"Actually no. Long story short... I've been stuck in that stupid elevator we're always complaining about all night..." she rambled, grabbing his attention, as he looked to her with a mixture if confusion and amusement, not sure if she was joking or not. "And going with that, I have somebody for you to meet."

"Wait Hales... Please don't tell me you've somehow fulfilled part of your 'elevator list' and have brought them here in order to prove it to me or something. I really don't want to know." he rambled as Haley dragged him into the living room.

Nathan was sitting in the two-piece sofa, staring at the guitar sitting by the window seat, wondering if it was Haley who played, or Lucas, when Haley came in dragging a blonde-haired man after her, who he could only presume was Lucas.

"I didn't know you were into basketball players Haley," Lucas laughed when he took in the guy sitting in their den. Nathan and Haley shared a confused look.

"What?"

"Nathan Scott." he said pointing to Nathan who could only nod, as Lucas shook his hand, the situation becoming extremely confusing for him. He glanced over to Haley, who just shrugged and looked to Lucas to carry on.

"You played a season with the Sonics right? I remember you playing when you guys beat Charlotte. I was at that game. You were pretty good." he spoke to Nathan, not really sure why Haley had brought the retired basketball player to their apartment, especially one as unknown as this guy. Haley wasn't exactly an expert in the game. "He doesn't seem the type to be on your elevator list Hales, when did you update it anyway?"

Nathan didn't know whether to be shocked his brother already knew a lot about him, and that they had been in close proximity before, or nervous again as his brother obviously still had no idea that he was, in fact, his brother. None of this was going the way it had gone through in any of the scenarios he had come up with in his head though he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

He glanced to Haley, who had turned a bright shade of red at the mention of her 'elevator list'. She was trying to explain to Lucas that it had nothing to do with 'fantasies' or anything, but every time she mentioned it, he would tell her he didn't want to hear about her sex life, and she would turn even redder and glance at Nathan. If this situation wasn't so confusing, he would have found it funny.

"Actually Nathan is not here because of some stupid 'night in an elevator'" she finally exclaimed, using finger quotations, while turning red and, yep there was that little glance to him again. "He's actually here for something that has nothing to do with me, so if you would just sit down and calmly listen to what he has to say it would be very much appreciated."

Both Nathan and Lucas looked startled by her outburst, and both took seats opposite her, Lucas looking at her expectantly, Nathan glancing at her full of worry. What was she going to do with them both? She couldn't dictate the conversation they were about to have, so with a sigh, she announced she was going for a shower, squeezing Nathan's shoulder as she went by reassuringly, hoping it would encourage him to get on with what he was there to do.

Nathan watched the exchange between his best friend and the stranger opposite him curiously. Was there something between them? Was that what this Nathan Scott guy wanted to talk to him about? He honestly couldn't think of any other reason, and was just about to ask the guy what was going on, as he started pacing.

How did he approach this? He saw Lucas sitting on the sofa he had been sitting on moments before, looking up at him expectedly, and he had no idea how he was going to approach it. I mean he couldn't just start with "hey, remember you father that abandoned you before you were born? Well yeah, I'm his other son, and I want us to be brothers." Yeah... That would go down well.

"It's okay if you want to date Haley. It doesn't matter what she's told you, you don't need my permission."

Lucas spoke, halting Nathan out of his pacing and inner battles. Wait what?

"What? No... I'm not..." This was definitely NOT how it was supposed to go. "I don't... What?"

"You don't like Haley? Because I saw the way you two were looking at each other before and it was kind of cute but..."

"I think you're my brother." The bold tactic it was. Lucas thankfully stopped rambling on about him and Haley dating, which if Nathan admitted, had caused a strange feeling inside of him.

Lucas was silent for a minute, before he burst out laughing. Okay so that was definitely not the reaction he was expecting.

"Is this some kind of joke?" What did he mean he thought he was his brother? "I mean, come on Haley, you can do better than that," he called out into the apartment, hoping Haley would come running out of her room, and confirm it all as a big joke. However seeing the very sombre look on the other man, he quickly snapped out of it.

"What do you mean you think I'm your brother?"

Nathan managed to calm himself down, and explained to the blonde-haired man everything he had told Haley in the elevator. He told him about growing up with Dan Scott as his father, noticing Lucas flinch slightly at the name. He told Lucas about finding all of the documents and pictures in Lucas's study, and his own research into him he had done in order to find him. Halfway through his talk, Haley had entered the room again, and had sat next to Lucas, her arm squeezing his hand.

Lucas remained completely silent through the discovery, which Nathan found he was slightly thankful for. However now that he had told Lucas everything, though leaving out about his mother and the full extent of his father's bullying, he found the silence gave him way to much time to think about what he had just done.

He glanced at Haley, who was looking worried with Lucas's silence, and he took that it wasn't a good sign. Finally after a couple of minutes of awkward silence, and Nathan contemplating running out of the apartment and back to LA, Lucas looked up from the spot he had been focusing on the carpet.

"So you're the other son of the man who abandoned my mother. Why are you here?" Lucas asked, rather pointedly, surprising Haley with his tone. He didn't sound upset or shocked, but indifferent and snarky, and just plain rude. Before she could retort and chide his for being so rude to Nathan, who had obviously gone through and dealt with a lot just to tell Lucas that, and before Nathan even had a chance to reply, Lucas stood up, muttering something about going on a walk, and left, slamming the apartment door shut.

Knowing he had to let off some steam, and deal with what he had just learned, she didn't go after him, and instead focussed on Nathan. He had gone very white, and had resumed pacing the den.

"This was a bad idea. Maybe I should just..." he spoke, glancing at her before making his way to the door. He had made a mistake coming here. Lucas didn't want anything to do with him, and he'd just caused an even bigger problem. He really was as stupid and bad at judgement as his father had always told him.

"Nathan stay. Lucas just needs some time to cool down and really think about things. Stay." She stood and grabbed his arm, pulling him down to sit on the sofa, trying to ignore the butterflies she felt as she grabbed his bicep. Man he had some nice muscles. "Plus we haven't even had breakfast yet. Do you like pancakes?"

She made them both a stack of pancakes, and both sat in a comfortable silence as they ate, though she could tell Nathan was worried and panicked.

"He will come round you know. Lucas has one of the biggest hearts I know. He just needs to clear his head and think about it all rationally." Nathan nodded, still looking very solemn and sad looking and Haley knew exactly what he needed.

"All right, stand up." Nathan looked up at her rather bewildered from his seat at the breakfast bar, where he had sat when Haley had made them breakfast. But seeing her determined look, he stood up and made his way over to her. He was surprised when a few seconds later; she wrapped her arms around his waist, giving him a tight hug. "It's really gonna be okay." He wrapped his own arms around her, clinging onto her like a lifeline. He felt a warm feeling wash over him, calming him and soothing him.

They continued to hold each other, Nathan beginning to calm down, and Haley willing to help him. Had he really only just met her the night before? He couldn't stop himself from pressing his face into her recently shampooed hair. He felt like he could trust her with anything, and he was sure she was the only reason he hadn't either started crying, or started throwing furniture around in frustration.

Reluctantly, they both let go of each other when they realised they had probably held on a little too long for people who had only just met. They both sat on the sofa together, Haley holding his hand, for another hour as they waited for Lucas to come back. Nathan was still very tense. Haley was making most of the conversation, talking about the classes she was going to be teaching on the Monday, while Nathan just listened, her voice soothing him. He couldn't stop himself from staring at her lips, remembering how close he had been to them.

Haley noticed him glancing down at her lips, and she couldn't ignore the warmth she felt spread through her body, or how her tongue came out to wet her them. It was probably the most inappropriate time ever, but all she wanted to do was kiss him. They were sitting close enough that all she really had to do was lean into him, and her lips would be on his. She knew it was wrong, he was Lucas's long lost half brother and she had only met him yesterday. Lucas was MIA ever since he found out, and Nathan wasn't dealing much better. But all she wanted to do was kiss him.

She didn't know how long they stayed like that, just staring at each others lips, until he leaned in, again. She felt her lips touch, really just a brush, before they both jumped back, hearing the front door open. Lucas was back.

Once again the charm was broken, and both pretended nothing had happened. Why did things have to keep interrupting them? Though Nathan supposed it was a good thing. His emotions especially were charged and all over the place. He probably wasn't thinking right.

Lucas went straight to the bathroom, letting Nathan and Haley come back tor reality. How had she let that happen again? She barely knew this guy, and she was already nearly throwing herself at him. It just wasn't her. Plus he was Lucas's brother, something she had to keep telling herself. She couldn't get involved with him while he was trying to connect with her best friend. It wouldn't be fair to her or Nathan. Nathan was in New York City, in her apartment for a reason, and she didn't want to end up standing in the way of that, or causing a bigger drama.

Lucas had had some time to think about it all, and rationalise everything and knew Nathan, at least had the right to explain himself. The poor guy had travelled across the country to find him, and he'd acted like a child, storming out. He felt like an ass. It was just a big shock. How many people had strangers come into their apartment and claim to be their long lost half brother?

He didn't know much about his father. As far as he was concerned, Keith was his dad. All he knew was that Keith's younger brother had been his mom's high school boyfriend, but when he found out Karen was pregnant; he had bailed, and left. Keith had tried to talk some sense into him, but Dan had just claimed that his basketball scholarship at USC was more important, and he didn't want anything to do with Karen's baby. Twenty five years on, and Lucas had never met him. Keith had cut off all ties with him, as well as with his own father, Lucas's and he supposed Nathan's paternal grandfather, who had taken Dan's side. Keith's mother had died only a year after that, and Mae Scott's funeral was the last time Keith had had any contact with Dan. Lucas had only been a couple of months old. Since then, Keith had helped Karen raise him, eventually them both falling in love and becoming a real family.

It had never really bothered him growing up. Sure, during some of his angsty teenage years it had annoyed him that his dad had just left, but apart from that, Lucas had never really thought of himself fatherless. It had been years since he'd even thought of his biological father. He had always supposed Dan Scott had a new family, other children, was probably married, but he didn't really think it had concerned him. He was shocked when Nathan came to find him, partly because Nathan was so close in age to him. It wasn't like Dan had left his mom, and moved on, eventually settling down with his own family. Dan had made a choice between two sons. Made a choice between Karen and whoever Nathan's mom was. And Lucas had been the one he had left behind and forgotten about, which hurt him for some absurd reason. He wasn't surprised that Dan had never told Nathan, or even Nathan's mom about his illegitimate child on the other side of the country, but he was surprised with how Nathan had found out. Had Dan really been keeping tabs on him all this time? He wasn't sure if he was creeped out or touched.

All these thoughts had came at Lucas all at once, when Nathan told him. He really hadn't meant to react the way he had; he had never really been a hot headed, irrational sort. But he had had to go out and clear his head, escape the anxieties and fears he had felt as a teenager when he though he had dealt with all of this. So he had left.

Once he had managed to gain control of his thoughts, walking through the post storm streets, he had phoned Keith, who had confirmed that Dan had another son, similar ages with Nathan. But instead of getting angry and annoyed at Keith, he listened as Keith explained how he had only known for a few years, and didn't know enough about Nathan, so telling Lucas would have just confused him, which he really didn't need having just moved to New York City at the time. Lucas was annoyed, but he understood.

Lucas had then returned to the apartment, hoping Haley had managed to get Nathan to stay. He supposed their time stuck in an elevator together had made them sort of friends, as when he returned, he noticed Nathan's jacket hanging up on the coat rack, assuming Haley had put it there. He had washed his face, before making his way to the den to talk things through with Nathan.

Completely oblivious to what had just transpired between Nathan and Haley, Lucas sat down opposite them, in an armchair.

"I'm sorry for how I reacted before," he started unsure of how to continue, but noticing Nathan's shoulder's relax a little. "I just needed some time to process it all and clear my head. It's just… weird you know?"

"I know exactly what you mean. It's taken me months to process it all and I still don't think I really believe it." Nathan let out an awkward laugh, not really sure what else to say. "Can we just start over?"

"I think that would be a great idea." Lucas held out his hand for Nathan. "Lucas Scott."

Nathan shook his hand with a grin, "Nathan Scott. Your brother?"

Lucas couldn't help but laugh, deciding he already liked Nathan. "Lets work up to it.."

Haley watched as the two brothers told each other themselves, and the scene just warmed her heart. She knew she had to forget about any feelings she might have felt for Nathan, and let him and Lucas bond. She knew they were going to be good friends already, perhaps with her included in the picture, and she really hoped one day soon, they could be brothers.

* * *

**Okay so I was originally going to add a whole other part to this chapter, with some Brooke and Julian funniness but it felt right to end it here. There was also meant to be a bit more angst (though there's already quite some) and drama but as I was writing it, especially when Lucas comes back, I found myself wanting that to happen so there it is!**

**Please review and I promise to update soon! I'm also working on another fic which I will upload once I'm a lot further into this story because I don't wanna get bogged down with too much writing and take ages to update! If you have any suggestions for this fic please tell me in a review! I kind of know where it's going (though when I start writing it, it always goes in a different direction), but I am free to suggestion and help! haha!**

**Also... Do you want some more Always Attract drabbles? Some more little fun ideas keep popping into my head! haha :P**


	4. Chapter 4

**Happy Easter all you Easter-kinds-of-people and Happy Sunday/Weekend/Bank Holiday all you non-Easter-kinds-of-people! I decided to stay up extra late and finish this chapter for you! :D**

**Anyway, I kinda like this chapter as it's not as serious as the rest were, and I loved writing Brooke and Julian, so I hope you all enjoy!**

**Disclaimer - blablabla i dont own anything. **

* * *

Haley watched as her class packed up and started to leave the room, murmuring goodbyes. It was the end of the day, and she was off to visit Brooke after work, partly because she missed her friend, and partly because she wanted to leave Lucas and Nathan to their 'male bonding' at the apartment, which mainly consisted of them chatting and playing NBA live.

It had only been just over a week but they had both been getting on really well considering. They were starting to act less and less. Like strangers and were beginning to become more comfortable around each other, especially when they realised how much they had in common. It made Haley so happy to see them becoming friends. She knew how important it was to Nathan, and how much Lucas wanted it to work after his initial shock had faded away. She was glad they becoming close.

Especially since it meant Nathan spent most of his time at the apartment. Nathan and Haley had been growing closer too. Lucas himself had said he really hoped that Nathan got on with friends, and was glad with how close and connected Nathan and Haley were. Haley couldn't deny the growing attraction between them.

The past few days being near him, she found herself zoning out on him, wondering what his lips would feel like on hers. Wondering if he felt the same. Of course, as much as she wished they could explore those feelings, she knew they couldn't. Nathan was spending time with his brother for the first time, who just happened to be her best friend. No, things were complicated enough. She could deal with being his friend.

She made her way to Brooke's apartment via the subway, and managed to catch someone on their way out, saving her from having to buzz in. She opted for the stairs as opposed to the elevator. She wasn't making that mistake again, though she supposed maybe getting stuck the first time was a blessing. She met Nathan. And having only been in their lives for a week, he had already changed them.

Reaching Brooke and Julian's door, she knocked on it. "Brooke, it's Haley!"

"Haley! Ehhh... One minute... Come in, the door's open!"

Haley made her way inside, seeing Brooke standing behind the open planned kitchen counter, wearing what looked like a pink ladies jacket. She didn't know Brooke was a fan of musicals. It must have been part of some design she was working on. That, or Julian was starting to rub off on her.

"That's a cool jacket. What is it? Grease?"

"Grease 2 actually..."

"I never saw that movie." Grease 2? Who had seen Grease 2? Hadn't it been a bit of a flop? Brooke was acting very strange. "So what's going on?"

Before Haley even had time to really assess why Brooke was acting so strange, Julian came out of their bedroom wearing a T-Bird jacket, topless underneath.

"I'm greased lightening!"

At first Haley was too confused to even respond. However she quickly put together Brooke's strange mood, the pink ladies jacket, and now Julian's outfit. Plus the fact Brooke hadn't moved from behind the counter, a place Haley had never seen her friend before.

"Oh! Ohhhh! Ewww!" she turned to Brooke. "EW!"

Those two had a very strange sex life, one she certainly didn't want to get into the middle of it. Ewww. Grabbing her bag, she made her way out shouting over her shoulder.

"I only came over to tell you that Lucas has a long lost half brother whom he met last week when I got stuck in an elevator with said brother." she rambled out speaking very quickly, her back turned towards them. "I'm just gonna go and leave you to... that!"

And with that she was gone, laughing as she made her way down the stairs. She loved them both, but sometimes they weirded her out.

Haley had spoken so quickly that Brooke wasn't sure what she had really said. Lucas had a long lost half brother? What? One that was in New York? Was Haley just messing with them, rambling on about nothing to try to ease the awkwardness caused by her nearly coitus interruptus. Brooke shared a confused glance with Julian, who looked just as confused as she was, and she quickly ran into her room, pulling on her jeans and top she had on before.

She passed Julian on her way out of the apartment, who was still standing in the same spot, now looking at her confused, and then glancing down at his T-Bird jacket.

"Save it for the honeymoon." And with that she was gone, and down into the elevator, catching a very out of breath Haley in the lobby. Had she really walked down all those flights of stairs?

Julian watched his fiancé leave. He guessed there wasn't going to be any fantasy Grease 2 reinactments for him tonight. With a shrug, he changed back into his shirt, before taking his place in front of the scripts he had been reading pre-T-Bird. He was about to get stuck back into the first script, while wondering what was going on with Lucas.

"Screw these. Lucas's life is movie gold!"

* * *

Lucas and Nathan had gone out for lunch, and spent the rest of the day in Lucas's apartment chatting and playing NBA Live. They were both completely surprised with how much they both had in common. It appeared Dan Scott had passed on his basketball love onto both of his sons, though they both had other things in common too. Nathan found it extremely easy to talk to Luke and found himself extremely glad he had found the courage to do this.

He only had Haley to thank for that though. He was completely positive that if he hadn't gotten stuck in that god-damned elevator with her, and been encouraged by her, he would have instantly pressed the ground floor button and made his way home, failing to do what he had set out.

"I just... I know you hinted at it but... I gotta ask what your...our dad was like as you were growing up?" Nathan had hinted at how awful Dan had been, and how his childhood hadn't exactly been a good one, but there was still a part of Lucas that felt he had somehow missed out. Sure he had had Keith as a dad, who he loved, but the thought that his biological father had chosen Nathan over him was still knawing away at him. He wanted to know what his life could have been like if Dan had chosen him and his mother, and he knew it was selfish and stupid, because he had had a great childhood, and a great family. It was just something that had been bothering him since he had met Nathan.

"Dan was... a bastard to put it bluntly." Nathan's cheerful demeanour before the question had quickly vanished, a blank look taking its place. Lucas almost felt guilty for asking about it, but he had to know. It was selfish and stupid, but it was something that had been eating away inside of him for years.

Nathan saw the look on Lucas's face and knew he needed to hear this. He almost resented his recently discovered brother for the perfect life he had, with the loving caring parents, and close friends. If he was honest, he didn't really understand the need to know about Dan, but he knew it was important to Lucas so continued.

"He was completely obsessed with basketball. Would spend hours and hours 'training' me, pushing me, while constantly belittling me and bullying me, telling me I was never going to be good enough, s good as him. He made me hate the game. Every spare moment I wasn't at practice or doing schoolwork he would have me lifting weights, or running. Nothing I did was ever good enough."

It felt good to have it all out in the open. The only other people who knew of Dan's treatment was his best friend from home, Peyton and of course Haley. He could feel Lucas's eyes on him, and felt himself go on.

"Believe me, you missed out on nothing. The first thought I had when I found out about you was how lucky you were to have escaped him."

Lucas just nodded, not sure what to say. The man who had fathered them both sounded horrible and he found himself slightly disgusted by what Nathan was telling him. No son would talk about their father that way, unless it was really bad, and he was almost glad Dan abandoned his mother all those years ago. "What about your mom? Didn't she stop him?"

Nathan could feel some pain as he thought of his mother, but he pushed past it the best he could. Again, this was information only Peyton and now Haley knew, but in the past week he had grown to know Luke, and befriend him, and he knew he could trust him.

"My mom liked to pretend everything was perfect. She mostly just pretending it all didn't exist, going on long business trips to get away from it all." Nathan told him, remembering his younger years. "And them she started drinking, and she didn't see it anymore. She's in rehab now. My family was so messed up, my mom ended up addicted to painkillers and booze, and I'm on the east coast spending time with my long lost brother."

He let himself smile at Lucas, feeling good for having gotten it all out.

Hearing Nathan talk like that made Lucas really appreciate what he had, and what he had had growing up. Love. Support. Stable ground. Things that were often overlooked and taken for granted, that you didn't even think that some people had none of that. People like Nathan with a bully for a father, and a mother who liked to ignored it. No wonder he had come to New York looking for some kind of stability and family.

"And he never mentioned me, or even hinted about having another son back home?" he asked, regarding Dan. It wasn't that he really cared anymore, after hearing about him, but he wanted to know so they wouldn't have to bring it up again. May as well get it all out at once.

"I didn't have a clue until I saw the pictures in his office. Though he always did seem to act as if there was something else there. He never loved my mother. No matter how hard they tried to pretend, there was always someone else he was thinking about. Now I guess I know why."

The silence lingered between them, both lost in their own thoughts, thinking about what Nathan was insinuating. It was slightly uncomfortable, but both felt better now that they had everything out there.

"How long are you planning to stay in New York?" He may as well change the subject. There was no point in dwelling on something neither of them could help. They were both brothers, and both wanted to learn how to become that.

"Eh... As long as possible?" Nathan laughed. He hadn't really given much thought. He hadn't planned any further than telling Lucas who he was. Didn't want to plan it all in case he was disappointed. "I don't really want to go back to California any time soon and have to face Dan. I haven't spoken to him after he told me everything, though he knows where I am."

"You can crash here if you want? If you're gonna be staying for a while, you don't want to be spending it in a lonely hotel room. There's not much room, but we can always make Haley sleep on the couch and you can take her room."

Nathan laughed, imagining her expression if she had heard that. Something told him she probably wouldn't like the idea of being stuck on the couch.

"I better not man. I don't wanna intrude. I've had some money saved up for a while now, so I should be okay in the room for a bit longer."

It was true. Nathan hadn't used any of the trust Dan had set up for Nathan to use once he turned 21. He hadn't wanted to touch Dan's money since it would just be another hold on him. But now that he was in New York, spending time with Lucas, who Dad had kept quiet all these years, he supposed Dan owed him.

And as much as he loved spending time with Lucas, and Haley, he didn't want to impose on them, living in their apartment. He hadn't known them long at all, and didn't want to be barging in on their lives. Though he supposed, coming to New York to tell Lucas that he was his long lost brother, he had already done enough barging in as it was.

"Cool man, the offer's there if you ever need it." Both smiled at each other, and Nathan once again found he was glad he had come here.

They picked up their controllers, and continued the game they had abandoned, and acted as any friends, and brothers would do, arguing and teasing as they played.

* * *

"So let me just get this straight. This guy you were stuck in an elevator all night with, just happened to be Lucas's half brother, whom he's never met?"

Brooke had dragged her back up to the apartment, and quieting Haley's protesting, demanding to know what was going on. Haley had interrupted what could have been really hot sex, and Brooke was making sure it was for a good reason.

"Basically yes. He's spending time with Lucas at our apartment as we speak."

Haley had had to tell the story three times already. Brooke couldn't get her head round it at first, and then after the second time, had asked her to repeat it just in case she missed anything. Julian had listened in for the first explanation before retreating into the little office he had in their apartment to read potential scripts for a movie he was going to be working on once him and Brooke were married.

Brooke let out a dramatic sigh and whistle. "When did Lucas's life become a crappy lifetime movie?" It was unreal. Out of the three if them, Lucas had had the most normal childhood. Sure, his dad hadn't been around, but Keith had naturally taken that role before Lucas knew any different, and he had always had a very stable home life. He had been the rock that Brooke had held on to, and it was the life he had had that she had always hoped her own children would once have, as opposed to how she had grown up.

"And how do you even know if this guy is legit? He could be some creepy stalker or something. Oh! Or one of these creepy physco's who is just pretending to be Lucas's brother, and will end up killing him or something!"

"Brooke, do you hear yourself?" Her friend had always been a tad dramatic, but what she was suggesting was just ridiculous. Who pretended to be someone's brother, and then launch some kind of crazed attack on them? Brooke must have been reading some of Julian's scripts again. "He's definitely not a physco. He's very nice actually."

Just thinking about him caused a slight blush to form on her cheeks. Unfortunately, Brooke noticed too.

"Is Haley blushing?" she teased, her facial expression turning into one of mock shock. "And by very nice, you mean hot right?"

She laughed when Haley's face got brighter, and she looked away. Her friend was so easy to read.

"Well if he's as handsome as your face is telling me, I've got to meet him pronto."

"Brooke... You're engaged to a man sitting in the room through that wall." Haley pointed to where they could see Julian scouring over some papers on his desk, through the doorway, laughing when Brooke just waved her hand dismissively.

"Meh, doesn't mean I can't appreciate some eye candy when I see it. Or would that make you jealous Haley?" She couldn't help teasing her a little, laughing when she glared at her. "Anyway, that man to whom I am engaged to be married to needs a night out. As do you. Plus I'm sure Naaaathan could do with a little city fun. What do you say we all go out tonight?"

Knowing that Brooke was suggesting a night out on the town, and knowing that no matter what she said, Brooke would make her go, she agreed. Maybe a little fun would was what they all really needed. Plus she really wanted Brooke and Julian to meet Nathan.

* * *

Nathan made his way through to the club he was meeting Lucas, Haley and their friends. Haley had come back to the apartment and announced that they were all going out. Nathan had gone home to his apartment to get ready, and had found himself freaking out about what to wear.

He had never really cared before about what to wear when going out, and that had been when he was going out to pick up women. Something he wasn't proud of but it was true. So why he had been worried about what to wear tonight, he had no idea. He guessed he just wanted to impress Lucas's friends and fit in with them. Brooke was a designer wasn't she?

He entered the club, making his way to where he saw Lucas and Haley, sitting at a table with a couple with their arms round each other, who he presumed were Brooke and Julian. He was excited to be able to release all the tension and stress that had been building in him since he had found out about Lucas. A night out was exactly what he needed. But he was also scared shitless. What if he didn't fit in with Lucas's friends?

Haley smiled when she saw him, standing up and pulling him into a hug. "Glad you made it."

She patted his back as he fist bumped with Lucas, who introduced him to Brooke and Julian.

"Nathan, glad to finally meet you." Brooke spoke warmly, pulling him in for a quick hug while throwing Haley a wink over his shoulder, causing her to blush slightly. Thank club the room was dark.

Nathan sat in next to Lucas and Julian, while Julian told him about his work. He was surprised once again how easily he slotted in with Lucas and his friends, and how comfortable he felt around them. Back home, although he had gone to a lot of parties and hung around with a lot of people, there were very few he could call friends. But with Lucas's friends, he found that he could one day seeing them have some kind of friendship. In fact he already considered Haley a somewhat friend.

Haley. She looked phenomenal. She was wearing a red dress that showed off her amazing curves, and only showed enough cleavage to have him feeling hot under the collar. Nathan was stunned. Never had a woman had this much effect on him, especially not one whom he had only for such a small amount of time. He almost wished she wasn't Lucas's best friend, though with that thought he realised he probably would never have met her if she wasn't. However, because she was Lucas's friend, practically his sister, he knew that it wouldn't be right to be something more than friends with her.

The way Lucas had spoken about her; he knew he was protective about her. Being in any kind of relationship beyond friends with her could fracture the relationship he was trying to build with Lucas. As much as he liked her, he knew it just cause too much awkwardness and change, and he'd already done enough of that. Plus he didn't know how long he was going to be spending in New York, before heading home to LA. He wouldn't do that to her.

Though just because he couldn't touch, didn't mean he couldn't look. As he was talking to the guys, although he was genuinely interested in what Julian was telling him, his eyes kept flickering over to her. Man she was beautiful.

"He keeps looking at you by the way."

Haley snapped out of her daydream. What? Wasn't Brooke talking about her wedding plans?

"Who's looking at what?"

"Nathan." Brooke laughed. "He keeps glancing over at you. I told you that dress was going to blow all the guys away."

Haley glanced over to where he was sitting, catching his eye and gave him a reassuring, warm smile. One that he returned.

"And you were right. He is hot."

"Brooke! I never once said he was hot! You said that!"

"Puh-lease. Just the mention of him and you turned to goo. Are you sure nothing else happened? A little bit of elevator sex with a stranger maybe?"

Brooke laughed at how uncomfortable Haley was getting, shouting at her to stop. Teasing Haley was just too much fun.

"Okay okay I'm kidding. Keep you panties on," Brooke sighed, as Haley just glared at her pointedly, pleasing silently for her to stop.

"He's Lucas's brother Brooke. He came to New York to make some family. We are just friends."

"Friends or not, you have to admit he's attractive. Hell, even I think so and I'm in love with that man over there," Brooke said pointing over to Julian.

Haley glanced over to him again, once again catching his eye. When he looked away and spoke to Lucas she let her eyes run appreciatedly over his body. Oh yeah... He definetely was attractive.

They'd been at the club a couple of hours, and Nathan was returning with his round of drinks. The bar had been really busy, and it had taken him a while to be served, so once he to their table, everyone but Haley was gone.

"Hey, where'd everyone go?" He spoke, while placing the tray of drinks down on the table, and handing Haley hers.

"Lucas is dancing with some girl, and Brooke and Julian are off doing god knows what." She really didn't want to be thinking of that. Especially after interrupting them earlier. She barely suppressed a shiver. "It's just you and me."

He liked the sound of that. In the past week, although they had grown closer, they hadn't really had a chance to spend much time together, with Haley working, and him spending time with Lucas.

The conversation flowed between them for a while, Nathan telling her about getting to know Lucas, and the things they had in common, which made Haley smile. She always liked it when people got on well, and the fact that both of them were enthusiastic to build a brotherly relationship made her so happy.

They had had a text from Brooke and Julian telling them that they were going home to watch Grease 2. Nathan didn't really know Brooke that well, and even though Julian was a film buff, he found it strange that both were heading home early from a night out, that Brooke had practically forced on them, to watch a movie that had apparently been pretty terrible in comparison to the original. Not that he'd seen that either. The grimace on Haley's face that appeared on Haley's face however had him deciding he really didn't want to ask.

Despite the strange disappearances, Nathan had found he was really enjoying Lucas's friends. Sure Brooke was a little eccentric and crazy, and Julian was a bit of a dork, they fit together, and they fit as part of the group. Nathan had had a great night so far, and grinning at the woman opposite him, he knew he had her to thank for giving him the courage to finally meet Lucas.

"So we've been sitting together at this table for a while just talking. When are you going to ask me to dance?" Haley challenged flirtily, the alcohol she had consumed causing her to become a little more brazen than she normally would be.

"You look beautiful tonight Hales," he laughed when her face turned a little red, though she fluttered her eyelashes dramatically. Perhaps that last glass of wine hadn't been a good idea. "But I don't dance."

"Ohhh you're one of those guys are you! The kind that are too manly to do anything daring in case they embarrass themselves?" Another thing he had in common with his brother, though Brooke had bashed that out of him years ago.

"No. I'm not. Trust me on this, I can't dance."

Haley just laughed. "Well then stud, I'm just going to have to go get myself another dance partner, aren't I?"

Nathan watched as Haley got up from the chair and started to make her way over to where some guys were sitting, deciding to intervene before she got there. He grabbed her hand smiling at the way she giggled as he pulled her onto the dance floor.

"One dance. That's all."

An upbeat number came on just as they got to the dance floor, and not really knowing what to do, he let Haley do her thing and just shuffled near her. Haley couldn't help but laugh a little, he really wasn't lying when he said he couldn't dance, though she appreciated that he was making the effort to try for her. She pressed herself a little closer to him, and grabbed his hands and placed them on her hips.

Nathan started to fell his stride a little better, using Haley's movements to guide his own. The way she was moving against him, had him feeling hot and excited, but he controlled it and just let himself enjoy it. He was so lost in the dance, something that surprised him as he had never ever enjoyed anything remotely like dancing in his life, when Haley suddenly pulled away.

She stumbled slightly toward the bar, the alcohol affecting her already quite bad balance, and fell back when Nathan grabbed her back by the waist.

"Where are you going?" He spoke directly into her ear, so she could hear him over the music, and couldn't stop himself from smelling her hair while he was there. She smelled phenomenal.

"I'm getting more drinks silly!"

The last thing she needed was more alcohol.

"Why don't I get you home Haley? I can phone Luke and take you home in a taxi. Does that sound good?"

"I want another drink." And oh god she was pouting at him. Her very tempting bottom lip stuck right out, and he was finding it very hard to say no to her. However, one more drink and he'd be carrying her home.

"Come on Hales, let's not over do it. You don't want a nasty hangover tomorrow do you?" He kind of felt like he was scolding a kid but he kept strong, giving her a knowing look.

"No." She was still pouting.

"Come on then. Let's go get a cab and then go home."

Sending a quick text to Lucas, who was nowhere to be seen, he guided Haley to the taxi, and took her home, making sure she got in the door okay, and into her bed, before getting a taxi to his hotel room. He had to admit it; New York was growing on him.

* * *

**So there you have it! Some flirty moments with Naley ;) and it's a bit longer than the previous chapters were :)**

**Also I want to get to know the people reading this story, so please review and when you do, tell me something about you! It can be anything at all! Just something you think is interesting/cool about yourself, or you nationality or something :) and in return yoou can ask me anything :D**

**Anyway please please please review! they make me so smiley and happy when I read them! And even if they are like "THIS STORY IS AWFUL. STOP NOW" at least I know people have read it, and I know i need to improve my writing!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello! You have no idea how badly I wanted to get this chapter up! Have been typing away at my computer for about 3 hours so I'm sorry it gets kinda bad towards the end! I have a few notes to say before you read though...**

**1) if you don't follow Joy's blog... DO IT! It's awesome and varied and she is just the most awesome person on the planet! Anway if you have read it, you will know about Tread on Trafficking, and if you dont go onto bjgofficial (dot) com, or her twitter page and i urge you all to sign up!**

**2) It has been a BUSY weekend! My brother is due his baby like now (well his wife is, not him), and then there was the ROYAL WEDDING (which i didn't care about until the day) and i was at a garden party, with a Union Jack face paint and drinking Pimms from 12PM onwards! I felt very British, which is unusual for me :P I don't like the Royal Family at all, but I do have a soft spot for Harry and William... and wasn't Kate just gorgeous?**

**3) I might not be able to upload for about a month which I apologise for :/ Life is basically going to be MEGA busy from here on out, but I will try as hard as I can!**

**4) I've started working on what will be the fic when I finish this one ;)**

**DISCLAIMER - blablablabla**

**Anway read on!**

* * *

Nathan was glad he hadn't had that much to drink the night before. Nowhere near could the amount Haley had had anyway, and he handle it a hell of a lot better. He chuckled, while he tied his new sneakers, remembering her drunken rambles in the taxi. Something about his eyes and Lucas, though he couldn't really make sense of what it was she was actually talking about. He had been amused nonetheless.

Then he had had to practically carry her up to her apartment and make sure she locked the door behind him while his taxi waited to take him home. Haley had refused to go to sleep until Lucas had come home, but as soon as he laid her down on the bed, her eyes closed, and she fell into a deep sleep.

He headed over towards their apartment, wondering if she was awake yet. Probably not. It was only 9.30am. Lucas had surprisingly text him 30 minutes before, wondering if he wanted to go for a run, and Nathan had agreed. It was something the two brothers had been doing together. He pressed the buzzer, and made his way up to their floor, seeing a half dressed Lucas waiting for him.

"Hey man, you sure you want to go for a run? You look rough."

Lucas laughed. It was true; he was still feeling the repercussions from the night before. "A run helps clear my head. Stops me feeling like crap all day." It would be a little painful and difficult at first, but it always helped him in the long run. "Give me a minute while I finish getting ready. Make yourself at home."

Nathan laughed. He always worked out the morning after a long night to get rid of that horrible hangover feeling too. Another thing to add to the ever growing list of things they had in common.

"Is Haley still asleep?" he called out to Lucas, who was in his room getting ready.

"Yeah, she was practically dead when I came home. Thanks by the way for making sure she got back okay. She'll probably be mortified about it though. She doesn't drink very often."

Nathan could hear Lucas chuckling and he joined in to, remembering her at the club. Nathan had text him when he had taken Haley home, telling him how drunk Haley was. Lucas had found it pretty funny, but was grateful Nathan was looking after her. He knew first hand how difficult a drunk Haley could be.

"Can you go check on her? Just wake her up and tell her we're going out for a bit. But beware; she's kinda cranky when she's hungover."

Nathan froze. Although he had been spending most of his time in New York at their apartment, he hadn't been in Haley's room. Hadn't even flirted with the idea of ever being in her room. Especially not as she was sleeping.

A little nervous, he carefully opened the door, cringing at the slight squeak it made, hoping if she was asleep it wouldn't wake her up. Although he had to wake her up, he didn't want to terrify her by hearing someone walking into her room. He planned on taking a gentler approach. He glanced around. While the open plan den/kitchen/dining area of their apartment had hints and touches of her, her room was all Haley. Her room was tidy, except for the pile of papers on her desk, which he assumed was marking from her work, and the clothes she had worn the night before on the floor, which made him smile. She must have changed after he left, getting into her PJs.

Or...

He glanced to the bed in the middle of the room, against the back door. She was lying with her comforter twisted around her, and there were her PJs. A white tank top and shorts, that with the way the comforter was twisted around her legs, gave him a perfect view of her thighs.

He no longer could deny the attraction he felt for his brother's best friend. For someone he had only known for a short amount of time, he felt so connected to her. It was a little unnerving at first, he wasn't used to opening himself up to anyone, never mind people he had just met, but that night in the elevator and the days that had followed, he found that he liked it. He liked Haley. And in a completely different kind of way than his brother did. And he was beginning to wonder if Haley felt the same way about him, which left him with a bit of a problem. Acting on those feelings, could affect his new relationship with his brother, one that was so important to him, or even worse, affect Haley's relationship with him, something Nathan would never do.

He wasn't sure how long he just stood there and watched her sleep, though it couldn't have been very long at all. She seemed so peaceful, even with the way she seemed to have wrested her sheets during the night. It was a sight he could definitely get used to.

Banishing that thought, he set out to do the job he came into the room in the first place.

"Hey Hales? You awake?" No response. He made his way closer to the bed, almost groaning when she squirmed slightly in her sleep, causing the neckline of her tank top to droop a bit, giving him a good glimpse at her cleavage. Yep, he definitely 'had the hots' for her. Ignoring that, he reached over and shook her shoulder.

"Morning... It's Nathan. Wakey wakey!" He thought he had succeeded when her eyes opened a little, glaring at him, but all she did was burrow her face back into the pillow and let out a noise that was a cross between a groan and a growl. Yeah she wasn't waking up.

He made his way out of the room quietly to the den, finding Lucas tying up his shoes.

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

"Yeah she totally sleeps like a dead person," Lucas laughed. It was worth a try. "Can you write her a note? There's a notebook and pen on the counter."

Nathan walked over to the kitchenette and scribbled down a quick note while Lucas found his keys, before they both left for their run.

Haley groaned and pushed her face into her pillow as she felt herself waking up. This was why the few times she drank, she promised herself never again. The next mornings were agony. Sighing in defeat, since she was obviously not going to get back to sleep, she opened her eyes to the blinding light, letting them adjust first before glancing to the clock on her left. 11am. So much for getting up early to grade all those papers she had been putting off.

The night before started to come back to her, reminding her once again why she rarely drank. She cringed as she remembered how forward she had been with Nathan, forcing the poor guy to dance with her, badly might she add, and then having him practically drag her home. Oh yeah, that wasn't embarrassing at all.

Nathan probably thought she some kind of booze-head judging on her behaviour the night before. Lucas had warned them all to be on their best behaviour, because he wanted Nathan to fit in and feel comfortable. Trust the one night she gets completely wasted be last night. Though Lucas couldn't speak, he had been MIA for the later part of the night, and had left his brother in the hands of his drunk best friend. In fact, all of her friends had abandoned her! Not that she minded being left alone with Nathan...

Banishing those thoughts away from her head she painfully climbed out of bed and into the den where she saw Lucas had dumped his coat and shoes from the night before. Men!

She stumbled blindly towards the kitchen, desperate for some coffee and painkillers, and probably would have missed the note completely had she not stubbed her toe on the stool as she passed, and grabbed on to the counter as the pain seeped in. She could tell already it wasn't a good day.

The note had her name on it, but it wasn't Lucas's familiar handwriting, instead was a slightly messier, but still clear scrawl; she had often made fun of Lucas's girly penmanship. Curiously, she unfolded the piece of notebook paper, smiling when she noticed the name at the bottom.

_Hey sleepy head,  
Me and Lucas have gone on a run, shouldn't be too long. Tried to wake you up to tell you before you left but understandably you were completely unresponsive. You're probably feeling pretty crappy, so drink plenty of water and take some painkillers. See you when we get back, perhaps we can go out for lunch?__  
Nathan._

Aww wasn't he the sweetest? She almost forgot about her pounding head and throbbing foot for a minute. Quickly putting on some fresh coffee, and grabbing a bottle of water and some pills, she sat at the counter. She read through the note a few times, until it sunk in that he'd probably seen her at her very worst. Asleep, with her crazy bed hair, which she reminded herself she was still sporting, the shorts and tank top she had blindly pulled before bed and her room messier than she usually kept it. He was going to think she was a slob of some kind. Super. Why couldn't she just be one of those people that were automatically attractive first thing in the morning?

Checking the time, she realised they would probably be home soon, and she needed to shower and get herself looking un-hangover-ish before lunch. Had Nathan meant just her and him lunch? Or was Lucas coming too? Of course Lucas was coming too, she realised. Why would Nathan want to take just her to lunch? Unless... No. Nathan and Lucas were going to spend time together, and she was just asked because Nathan was a good guy, and knew she was important to Lucas. That's what it was. Of course it was.

Why she couldn't help the slight feeling of disappointment, she didn't know. The thought of just the two of them going to lunch, on a possible date sounded so good.

* * *

They'd both been running steadily for about an hour, matching each other's paces. Lucas was doing surprisingly well for having had a hangover. They'd been making light conversation throughout the run, while also spending some time just running and enjoying each other's company.

"Dan keeps trying to phone me." Nathan wasn't really sure why he was telling Lucas this, but he felt like it was something he could talk about with him, despite the fact Lucas had never met the man. "I keep ignoring his calls, but I'm going to need to get back to him soon."

"What does he want?" Nathan could see the slight worry on Lucas's face as well as the anticipation. Did Dan want to know about him? About how the two brothers were getting along?

"He's probably just wondering when I'm getting home. I don't think he really expected me to go through with it. He was always saying I was a coward."

"Nathan, he's the coward. He left a woman pregnant and fled to the opposite side of the country. Then he didn't have the guts to tell anybody about it."

"Yeah well, I suppose I better get back there some time. Even if things did turn out great as they have, I didn't plan to stay here this long. I mean, I can't stay in that hotel room here forever."

"Why not?"

"Well for one, the room ain't exactly homey... And it's kind of expensive." Nathan joked. The conversation was soon getting serious, and Nathan wanted to lighten the mood. What Lucas s suggesting was sounding way too appealing?

"You know what I mean. Why not stay here in New York? I mean, you could get a job here, and you have me, and Haley, hell even Brooke and Julian."

They had both slowed to a stop, and Nathan was absorbing in what Lucas was saying. Did Lucas really want him to stay on the East Coast? They hadn't known each other very long, but he could already feel that attachment to Lucas and his friends. The more he thought of it, the more appealing it sounded. He could start a whole new life here. Get away from Dan. There really wasn't much holding him in California.

"You know what man, that actually sounds pretty nice." both brothers laughed as they continued their run towards Lucas and Haley's apartment, and although it wasn't mentioned again, then thought of Nathan moving there weighed heavily in both of their minds.

* * *

Nathan had been toying of the idea of moving to New York permanently for about a week. There wasn't really much holding him back, bar one person, who he was sure would understand why he s doing it. It would leave him free of Dan, and able to lead his own life for the first time in his life.

Haley was watching Nathan closely as they all sat in Brooke and Julian's apartment, having some drinks. He'd been acting kind of strange all week. Surely she hadn't done something horrendous that night in the club that she just couldn't remember. He had been still his same, charming, jokey self, but had been disappearing into deep thought when he thought nobody was looking.

His phone rang for the 3rd time that night, and he sighed in defeat. Time to get back to the real world.

"Sorry I have to take this."

With a reassuring nod from Lucas, he made his way toward the hall, taking a deep breath before answering the call.

"About time Nathan. Finally given up trying to ignore me?"

"Whatever Dad. What do you want? You know where I am."

"I know where you are Nathan? You took off without any notice. Do you know how difficult it has been to try to cover all your work?"

Of course Dan was more worried about his dealership, than his son, both of sons.

"It's your fault I'm even here!"

"Don't speak to me like that. That boy isn't anything to you. When you're done trying to plead the victim come home."

"'That boy' is your son! My brother! The reason I'm here in the first place is to try to make up for lost time! I bet you can't even say his name, can you?"

"Nathan, grow up. Just because he shares some of the same DNA doesn't make him your brother, much less my son. You know those as well as I do. Now get back here, or I'm just going to have to interview for someone to cover your spot."

"You know what Dan, I quit. Get someone new in. I don't care. I never wanted that job in the first place."

"You ungrateful little swine. I gave you work when you were nothing. You failed at basketball, and let's face it Nathan, you aren't really good at anything else. I'll give you one last chance Nathan. Forget about him and come back to work."

"You can't even say his name, can you?" Nathan was practically shouting down the phone, no longer caring if the others could hear him. He was so angry. "I'm not coming back. And don't phone me again."

"Listen you..." He could hear Dan's voice become increasingly frustrated, before he hung up. Having an off switch for Dan Scott was useful. He sure could have used one for growing up. He was no longer afraid of that man, and felt liberated and free as je gripped his phone in his hand.

He took a few minutes to calm himself down, and control the shaking that had started when Dan phoned. A huge grin came to his face as he realised exactly what he had done.

Walking into the room, he saw 4 pairs of curious eyes on him. They must have heard the whole thing, but he didn't care.

"So...?" Lucas's voice broke him out of his thoughts.

* * *

Nathan couldn't believe how quickly things were happening. After deciding he was moving there, Lucas, with the help of Haley, Brooke and Julian had set moving him to the East Coast.

By the following weekend, Lucas and he were meeting with some real estate agents, to find an apartment for him, since he had insisted he didn't want to impose himself on Lucas and Haley's small two bedroom.

Luckily, the trust fund Nathan had had set up by his grandparents, and Dan, had come into his power on hi 21st birthday, so Dan had no hold over it. Plus he hadn't really used it before planning his trip to New York to meet Lucas, so he had plenty money to hold him over on rent, and the hotel costs, until he could get a job. He had squandered the money he had made in his year in the NBA years ago.

He made his way over to the first apartment, where he was meant to be meeting Lucas, and instead found a very anxious looking Haley.

"Hey Haley, where's Lucas?"

"He had a last minute meeting with a promising editor, so I said I would come instead... Is that okay?" Suddenly she was worried. Maybe this was something Nathan wanted to do with his brother, which was understandable of course. It was Lucas who had given him the courage to move to New York in the first place.

"No problem. Should be fun."

They both made their way to the apartment door. Nathan knocked once before being greeted by someone he could only describe as extremely chirpy and enthusiastic, and she hadn't even opened her mouth yet.

"Mr Scott! Come in, come in." She pulled him inside the apartment building, before turning to Haley. "Any you are Mrs Scott?" She eyed up both of them, he eyes lingering on Nathan disappointingly.

"No no, I'm just his f…"

"Fiancé. This is my fiancé Haley." He grabbed a very confused looking Haley's hand, giving her a look that said 'just go with it' and turned to look at the woman expectantly.

"Oh wonderful! I wish you both the best of luck! My name is Shelly. I have a number of properties I think you and your fiancé would be very interested in. Lovely big master bedroom. Perfect for starting out married life! This is the first one on my list of course, follow me!" She rambled on as she started to lead them through the apartment, making Haley blush. What the hell was he playing at?

"What are you doing Nathan?" she whispered up at him, his mischievous smirk not going unnoticed. He wrapped his arm around her waist, following Shelly around the small apartment, leaning down to whisper in her ear.

"Come on, it'll be fun. Live a little." The way his breath panned out across her ear and neck and her give an involuntary shiver, which she hoped Nathan didn't notice, though by the way he tightened his hold on her waist and chuckled a little, she was sure that he did.

No time to dwell on it though, as Shelly whisked them to many apartments, none of them having a lasting effect on Nathan. They were all pretty luxurious since he had some money to play with, but none of them had that homey feel he was looking for.

They were still carrying on their charade of being an engaged couple, with Nathan throwing in suggestive comments just to see Haley's face heat up. She was so adorable.

"So this is the last apartment I have booked to view today! If I had known you were engaged Mr Scott, and looking for a marital home, I'd have booked more like it! I just assumed the other day you were looking for more of a bachelor pad!"

"Oh no, no bachelor pad for me. It's me and Haley versus the world, right Hales?"

"Right _sweetie_." She replied in a sugary sweet voice, trying not to laugh at the cheeky expression on his face.

As soon as Nathan made his way into the property he knew right away it was the one. It looked like a home. Sure it was small, and not furnished greatly, but he knew, with a little help he could definitely make it into something. The apartment was open plan, like Lucas and Haley's were, and had a sitting area on the left as soon as you walked in, and a kitchen/dining area on the right. From there, there was a little hallway that lead to a bathroom, and then the only, spacious bedroom, with a great view. It was perfect, and only a couple of blocks away from Lucas and Haley.

Haley watched his face as he took in the apartment and knew he had found the one. His face had literally lit up, and he hadn't made any of his usual cheeky comments as Shelly walked them through it. It was the complete opposite from what she expected him to want. She thought he'd have been looking for a Manhattan bachelor pad, with high tech gadgets, near the club scene. Not somewhere that seemed cozy and comfortable.

"It's perfect." He said to Haley, while Shelly went down to her car to get some paper work for them. "See this wall, it will look very nice with my music system set up. And that corner over there is gonna look great with my wide screen TV"

Okay, so maybe he was still your typical guy. But she could understand his want for a home. It made her sad to think he had never really had one before.

"This is the one Hales! The one we're going to spend the rest of our lives together in!" He couldn't help laughing. They'd had a fun afternoon, and he found himself enjoying being a couple with Haley, even though it was fake. After getting over her initial embarrassment she had gotten into character quite well.

"I've really enjoyed being your fiancé Nathan." She had meant it as a joke, continuing their little act, but it came out more serious. She realised she meant it.

Spending time alone with him, pretending to be together had been so much fun. It gave her small glimpse into what they could have if everything wasn't so complicated. She noticed his intense gaze and wondered if he felt the same.

He couldn't help but wish that afternoon had been real. Man, why did his life have to suck? He was almost about to either say something or just kiss her like he had almost done so many times already, when he felt his phone ring with it's personalised ring tone. He was going to kill Peyton for ruining this moment.

"Sorry I have to get this."

He made his way over to the other side of the room, feeling bad for leaving Haley just standing there, and answered his phone.

"YOU'RE MOVING TO THE EAST COAST AND DIDN'T EVEN THINK OF TELLING ME?" came the angry response from the other side of the line. Ouch.

"Peyton, you're the one who's always telling me I needed to get away!" He laughed back.

"Well… I know… I just don't want to lose my best friend, Nathan! And as much as it kills me to say it, I've been missing you." Again Nathan laughed, he knew it wasn't easy for Peyton to keep the sarcasm from her voice.

"I miss you too Peyton. Seriously. So much."

"Aw shucks. You love me don't you Nathan? You love your Peyton Weyton."

"Yes dear, I love you so much, and miss you every day I'm here." He made his voice as serious as he could, to play along. He wasn't letting Peyton win.

"Aw okay. If you're happy, I'm happy. Just don't forget about poor ol' me stuck in this god forsaken office while you're living the high life in New York."

Although he knew she meant it as a joke, he knew she really was worried he was going to replace her. Although Peyton could come across as snarky and sarcastic, and well… a bit of a bitch, he knew it was just a coping mechanism she had. She had a fear of people leaving her.

"I will never forget you Peyton. You know that. And don't think me moving here means I'm leaving you. In fact, why don't you come over here as soon as you can and help me decorate my new apartment?"

"Sounds great! Actually… I think I can come over… 2 weeks time? I have time off from this god awful place I call work."

"Why do you still work there if you hate it so much? You're better than that?"

"Using my motivational speeches against me? So tell me more about New York, anything more on your feelings for the mysterious Haley?"

He had been telling Peyton all about his time there, and how his changing feelings towards Haley, which Peyton loved. Nathan had never really been in a serious relationship, or even considered one, so now that he was crushing out on his brother's best friend, she found it hilarious.

"Actually Peyton, I gotta go. I'll talk to you later."

They said their goodbyes and Nathan made his way over to Haley, who looked funny. Had he left her waiting too long?

"Hey, I was wondering, if you wanted to maybe get something to eat once I sign these papers?" He said gesturing to where Shelly had come back and spread out the documents he needed to sign.

Haley was so confused. Nathan had been on the phone to someone. After spending the whole day flirting and joking with her, he had a girlfriend back home? Or at least he had somebody back there. If she was thinking rationally she would have made the similarity between Nathan and this mystery girl, and her relationship with Lucas. Lucas had a girl best friend; Nathan very well could have one too.

But she was jumping to conclusions, and her mind was clouded, especially when a maybe not single Nathan asked her out on what sounded like a date. Before she could get her head around the phone call, and the way Nathan had spoken to this Peyton whoever she was, though her name sounded familiar, she gave him some excuse about needing to do marking, and made her way out to the street, leaving behind a very confused Nathan.

They had just had an amazing afternoon together. What the hell just happened? Had he scared her off? Maybe he was just stupid. He would always just be that guy she got stuck in an elevator with, who disrupted her best friend's life. And even though he had basically changed his life around, got away from Dan, was in the process of renting a new apartment, he found himself feeling pretty crap.

* * *

**Anway I hope you enjoyed that! It jumped about a bit and was really just a filler in for the next bit of the story :)**

**PLEASE REVIEW! THEY MAKE ME GROW ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sooo sorry it has taken this long! I had exams, then my niece was born, and then a whole load of other crap happened and I totally lost inspiration for this fic! But last night i forced myself to sit down and write... and THIS happened!**

**So this chapter has basically taken itself in a completely different direction, but hey ho! Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer - I don't own Tree Hill or any of the characters born there... And I unfortunately do not own Julian Baker.**

* * *

Nathan frowned as he saw Haley leave her room, and walk past them and out the front door of the apartment, without a hello or goodbye.

"Jeez..." Lucas let out as the slam of the door rang out in the apartment. "She was fine before you got here. What did you do to piss her off?"

Lucas was joking, but Nathan was asking himself the very same question. Ever since they had gone apartment hunting, she'd been all hot and cold on him. Always disappearing when he turned up at the apartment to hang out with Lucas, or ignoring his text message and phone calls. Had he unintentionally said or done something to offend her?

"Where's she going anyway?"

Every time he was over she had some valid excuse not to talk to him, from being work-related to going shopping with Brooke. It was really frustrating.

"She has a date or something." Lucas replied distracted, as the guy on ESPN started discussing players. He and Lucas were just waiting for Julian to have a guy's night in, watching the Lakers game with some beers.

"A date?"

It had only been a few days since he had practically asked her out. She hadn't said she was dating someone. Was that why she was acting so distant from him? Usually he could read women easily, but there was something about Haley James that left him clueless.

"Yeah, some guy Brooke setting her up with. Brad or Brett or something... He's working on the men's line in Brooke's company. I don't know."

Apparently a blind date with a fashion designer was more bearable than dinner with him. A fashion designer! Maybe he had asked her too quickly. Not gotten to know her first. Or maybe he had left it too long. She might think he just wasn't interested in her, and dinner was just a friendly thing. When he put it like that, he realised he had had dinner with Haley before and it had just been friends, similar to the numerous nights out he had with Peyton growing up. Maybe he just hadn't been clear.

He didn't know. He was new to this dating thing; the girls he 'dated' back home hadn't needed any effort. They were usually the ones that let him know they were interested. Not the other way about.

Or maybe Haley wasn't interested.

He glanced at Lucas, who was absorbed in the Lakers' player interviews. Maybe she just saw him as this lost, random guy, who turned up and claimed to be best friend's brother. He was sure, before either of them knew who the other was, that there had been something between them. Something that could be really special. But then, like always, everything got complicated.

He hadn't really been fair to Lucas or Haley, just turning up and messing everything around. His feelings for Haley, which he was still trying to get his head around, would just overcomplicate an already very confusing and unusual situation. Maybe that was why Haley had blown him off. And he had to agree with her. He definitely wasn't worth ruining what she and Lucas had.

It would ultimately affect Lucas too. He knew he wanted to kill any guy that was interested in Peyton.

His thoughts were interrupted by Julian entering the apartment, a 6 pack of beers in one hand, and a foam finger in the other.

"I haven't missed kick off have I?"

Lucas threw Nathan a glance, before both started laughing, neither having the heart to correct him.

* * *

Haley waited patiently in the restaurant foyer for her date to arrive. She had jumped at the chance to get away from the apartment while the guys were there, and to spend a night forgetting about Nathan.

She didn't want to think about the girlfriend he had back in LA, or how close she had been to ruining the relationship he was building with his brother, and the weird friendship they had going. How stupid was she to think he returned this weird crush she had on him. It was all kinds of ridiculous.

There he was, an ex professional athlete with a healthy bank account, and chiselled good looks, and there she was, an single English teacher who was still sharing an apartment with her best friend because she couldn't afford an apartment of her own because of all the loans she needed to repay from college. He probably had some tall, blonde, successful girlfriend who had some high flying job in downtown. Peyton was probably some record label executive or something. Figures.

She noticed a tall and she supposed handsome man make his way towards her smiling, whom she assumed was Brendan, her date for the evening. He was no Nathan but she had to admit, she was intrigued.

"You must be Haley. Brooke's told me so much about you. You look beautiful." He even brought her hand to his mouth and pressed it to his lips. Something told her Brooke had been coaching him.

"And you must be Brendan. Very nice to meet you."

Before she knew it, Brendan had motioned for the waiter to guide them to their seat. Her last thought was wondering what Nathan and Lucas were up to.

* * *

After much convincing they had managed to get Julian to ditch the foam finger, and had made a good attempt on the beers he had brought, and Lucas had in the fridge. The game was nearly over, and although Nathan's Lakers were beating the Dallas Mavericks, he was barely paying attention to the game.

He was wondering how Haley's date was going. That's how pathetic he was. He was spending guy's night wondering about a girl who was so out of his league, and obviously not interested in him. He really didn't like this new sensitive side he'd somehow acquired in the past couple of days.

"You played in the NBA right?" Julian aimed at Nathan, with Lucas looking on curiously. They had never really discussed his time playing professional basketball. It was still a sore subject.

"I played for the Sonics a few years back, yeah." It had been one of the best years of his life, getting paid to do the one thing he loved. "Blew my knee out playing the Heat... Yeah that sucked."

He laughed. He had realised a long time ago that there was no point in being bitter about what had happened. It was just life. He had gotten to live his dream for a year, a lot longer than most people got to, and he had learned to be grateful for it.

"I can't believe that there is a once professional athlete sitting in my living room," Lucas joked, pretending to fan himself with a newspaper. "Wish we had found out we were brother's sooner... You could have scored me some free tickets."

"True...," Nathan smirked at Lucas before throwing a wink to Julian. "Though how would it have looked, being schooled on the court by your little brother..."

Lucas's mouth opened in shock, before throwing a pillow towards his estranged younger brother. Julian and Nathan looked at amused as they watched his jump up from the sofa and march over to his room.

Julian turned to Nathan laughing. "Is he in a huff or..."

They both turned as Lucas returned to the couch looking triumphant, a worn basketball in his hands.

"C'mon Nate. One on one... Unless you're scared," Lucas called as he made his way towards the door, spinning the ball between his fingers. Nathan and Julian glanced towards each other, before jumping up and running out the door after him.

* * *

Any hopes for a good date went out the window as soon as he opened his mouth. Since they had been seated he hadn't stopped talking, mostly about himself, or Brooke's company, or latest trends that were going to be "the next big thing".

"... and so I was working with Gigi Silveri, who I'm sure you know all about. She taught me so much about working with different fabrics. Did you see her fall line?..."

Haley just nodded and pushed her food around on her plate, even though she had no idea who he was talking about. It's not like he was going to come for air and as her opinion. He seemed to be under the impression that because she was Brooke's best friend, she knew all about fashion. Sure she liked dressing nicely, but she let Brooke guide her with fashion. If she was honest she was at her happiest in jeans and an old sweatshirt.

The night dragged on pretty uneventful. When it came to desert, Brendan had declined saying he was watching his weight, and Haley took the opportunity to cut the date short. He took care of the bill at least, and they both made their way outside.

"There's this new club opened up a few blocks from here. Loads of celebs are hitting it, and I have a few connections that could get us into the VIP section?" he asked hopefully.

She did feel kind of sorry for him. He looked so hopeful, and she supposed he wasn't that bad a guy. Just not her type at all. She must becoming more into the tall, dark and athletic types recently. However, she wasn't sure she could handle Brendan any longer, and quickly made up some excuse to get herself home, mentally preparing herself for the "he's a good guy!" rant from Brooke which she was sure to get in the morning.

Hailing a cab, she made her journey home, praying that the apartment was still in one piece after 'guy's night'. Or at least praying that Nathan had already gone home.

* * *

Nathan smirked as he watched the ball sail through the net with a swoosh. He and Lucas had been playing a game of one on one for two hours, while Julian had been banished to the small bleacher, after a disastrous granny shot early on. Nathan liked the guy, but he sure as hell stinked at basketball.

Nathan was surprised by how easily the game had come back to him. He hadn't played at all since he had been injured. He had been too afraid. However once the ball had been placed in his hands again he had never felt more at home.

Nathan grabbed the ball from where it had been rolled to after falling through the basket, and passed the ball too Luke, who grabbed it and made his way to the bleachers and sat down.

"Tired old man?" Nathan called over, laughing at Lucas's heavy breathing. "And I believe I won."

"Whatever."

All three guys laughed. It had been a fun night. It was the first time Nathan had ever just played. In his past, basketball was always about training, practicing, with a goal in the end. He had never just played for fun.

"Nice court. How did you find it?" he asked, as he gestured to the city basketball court. Back home he'd only ever played at private courts, whether it was his full sized court at their mansion, or school courts, however he always felt he'd missed out, just playing with local guys at the local park. When he was younger he had always watched enviously as his father drove by a bunch of kids playing at the park a few blocks away from their house, though he knew it wasn't worth his life to ask Dan to drop him off to play.

Basketball was and always had been about training and winning. Nathan was too good to play at a mediocre park court.

"There's a court back in Tree Hill, the river court that I basically grew up on, so when we moved to New York I just had to find somewhere similar. A little bit of home away from home, you know?" He didn't really, seeing as he'd never really felt at home anywhere, but he nodded anyway. "This place has nothing on the river court though."

Lucas smiled thoughtfully, obviously remembering some far off memory, before continuing. "We used to play there when we were kids, back home. A whole group of us - the river court guys. We thought we were so cool," he joked, and Julian and Nathan joined in with his light laughter. "Right up until high school graduation, we'd spend endless hours, just playing games while my friends Mouth and Jimmy commentated. Best memories of my life."

The way Lucas talked about it, made the place sound almost magical. It was the kind of childhood Nathan wished he had for himself. Real friends, not just the kind Dan wanted him to have. And time just to have fun. It was the kind of childhood he wanted his own kids, in the far far future, to have. He'd be damned if ever ended up being like Dan.

"I'm guessing you've never read my book then?"

Lucas's thoughts broke him out of his daydream as he imagined watching his own children playing on the kind of court he had imagined as Lucas had told him about the river court. For some reason they all had big brown eyes, whatever that meant.

Nathan glanced at Lucas guiltily. "I did buy it... When I first found out you were my brother... I just haven't really had the time... I started to flick through it... I'm just not much of a reader see..."

Both Lucas and Julian laughed as they watched Nathan stutter as he tried to explain why he hadn't read his own brother's novel. It really didn't bother Lucas in the slightest, from the time he had spent with his newly found brother he had pretty much worked out that Nathan wasn't the reading sort of guy.

Deciding to help him out, Lucas stopped his ramble. "Chill out man, I was only messing around. Though it does mean you need to take a trip to Tree Hill. Julian will back me up when I say it's the best town in the whole USA."

Lucas winked at Julian, before nudging him, causing all three men to laugh.

"Oh definitely!" he said with mock enthusiasm, while shaking his head at Nathan. "Though seriously, I've always been a big cities kind of guy, but there is something special about Tree Hill. It wasn't just Brooke's decision to have our wedding there."

Lucas rolled his eyes. They'd started Julian on his 'Brooke is amazing and I can't wait to marry her and have a fairytale wedding and make her so happy' etc, type rambling.

"Quick Nate, we better leave or Julian's going to spend the rest of the night getting soppy on us."

The three guys continued to banter and joke as they walked the streets of New York City, making their way back to Lucas and Haley's apartment, where there were more beers to be drink, more ESPN highlights to watch, and more topics to discuss. It seemed that Nathan's first official guy's night had been a success.

* * *

Haley, after once again deciding to ditch the elevator, made it to the door of her apartment a little out of breath after climbing all the stairs, and let herself inside, her nose wrinkling slightly at the smell. It appeared the guys had been typical guys, ordering a range of smelly, meaty foods, and pizzas, and making a good dent in the huge number of beers Lucas had bought in preparation. The apartment smelled like a mixture between a brewery, and a take away shop.

She made her way into the living room, but stopped herself from switching the light on when she noticed a huge lump lying on her sofa. There lying on the worn leather was a very tall, very topless, very asleep Nathan Scott. The blanket that he'd obviously been given only covered him from the waist down, where he was wearing a pair of Lucas's pyjama pants (she could see because he had one leg lying awkwardly off the side of the sofa), giving her a perfect view of his glorious chiselled chest. He was even more ripped than she thought.

She just stood there, soaking in the view for a few seconds, not noticing his eyes open as he started to wake up.

"Like what you see?"

His deep husky voice in the silent room startled her, causing her to jump, and she felt her cheeks heat up in response to his words, and his smirk. She really hated her blush.

Instead of saying something rational, or scoffing at his question, she embarrassed herself further by saying the one thing that was running through her mind, blurting out a confused, "What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

Nathan's smirk disappeared and he suddenly looked nervous, almost making her feel bad, though she really wanted to know why he was laying half naked on her sofa.

"Oh... Sorry... I... I stayed for a bit after Julian left, and we had some more beers, and it was getting late and Lucas said I could just crash on the couch..." Her rambling must be becoming contagious. "He said you wouldn't mind but if it's a problem I can go home now."

She watched amused as he almost jumped up from the sofa and started searching for his shirt

Nathan was literally kicking himself. He woke up to find Haley, the girl he couldn't stop thinking about staring at him, and the only response he could come up with was "like what you see?" No wonder sue wasn't interested. He just wanted to flee the scene as soon as he could. Blindly searching about in the dark, he used his hands to search the ground for his shirt, quickly finding it where he had dropped it on the floor, and put it on.

She hated the fact that she was slightly disappointed that he had put his shirt on. He really did have incredible abs.

"It's fine Nathan. Go back to sleep. I'm going to bed. Night."

She made her way towards her bedroom, though halted when she heard his voice once again.

"Why do you keep avoiding me?"

She turned around to face him, her back against her bedroom door, as they both looked at each other form across the room.

"I'm tired Nathan. Good night."

She really didn't want to get into this tonight. As embarrassing as it would be to tell him how she was starting to feel about him, she didn't think she would be able to take the humiliation when he told her he was seeing someone back in LA. No thank you. Plus it would probably fracture the close bond he was starting to make with Lucas. Too much was at stake here. Her pride, and fragile heart, and Nathan's chance at finding a family.

"See, there you go again, avoiding me. I thought we were becoming friends?" Nathan was starting to become frustrated. This was probably the most contact they had had in a week, despite the fact he had been pretty much living in her apartment. He couldn't take it anymore. "What did I do?"

Her heart was aching a little as he looked at her with pain in her eyes. She really hadn't meant to avoid him all week. She had just needed to clear her head a little and get everything into perspective. She decided she could do this though, be Nathan's friends. It was what was best for both of them.

"You didn't do anything Nathan, it was me." Nathan scoffed and crossed to room to stand in front of her, his face so close to hers, she could see all the different blues in his eyes even in the darkness. "My head's been all over this week. I'm sorry."

Nathan was looking intently into her eyes. He was sure he could see the same longing that he was sure were in his. His own head had been all over the place, a certain woman running through every single one of his thoughts. Though while this had caused her to avoid him like the black death, it had only made him yearn for her more, and want to be in her company more. Being so close to her now had his heart racing.

He was so close. All she had to do was lean forward, and up on her tip toes and her lips would on his. It was all she could think about, though she tried unsuccessfully to clear her head. It felt like his eyes were looking right into her soul.

"Why has your head been all over the place? Does it have something to do with your date tonight?"

As much as it pained him, there was a very good possibility that the reason she was avoiding him was because she had feelings for someone else. That would suck.

She shook her head and whispered a soft "no", her traitorous body slowly moving closer to his, so close she could feel his warm breath on her face. "Someone else."

The look she gave him there, basically confirmed what he hoped she had been feeling. He had been running through her mind as much as she had been in his. What little willpower he had left diminished quickly, as he closed the short distance between their lips, pressing his softly against hers.

Nobody had ever kissed her the way he was kissing her before. Although starting softly, his lips began moving more urgently against hers, and she almost moaned when she felt his push into her mouth to tangle with her own. Her hands came up to knot in his hair, as his own wrapped around her waist, pulling her into his hard, lean body. Why did this feel so right?

Haley James was one he'll of a kisser. He growled into her mouth as her fingernails scratched at the nape of his neck, while her tongue battled his for dominance. He never wanted this to end. Realising they were both rapidly running out of air, he removed his lips from hers, smirking at the small whimper that escaped her, before leaving hot, open mouthed kisses down her neck.

What he was doing felt so good. She was two seconds away from ripping his shirt off him, and dragging him into her room. However, as he claimed her lips for the second time, the voices in her head telling her it was wrong, somehow managed to break through from the place she had been blocking them. The continued shouts of 'he has a girlfriend' and 'he's Lucas's brother' had her wriggling from his grip and pushing him away, trying to ignore the hurt look on his face.

What was going on? She had been into that kiss as much as he had, he was sure of it. She wanted it. Why was she suddenly pushing him away. He continued to stare at her, as they both caught their breaths.

Before he could even ask what the he'll was going on, she spoke.

"We can't do this Nathan."

"Why not?" he demanded. If it felt right, and they both wanted to, why couldn't they? He didn't understand.

"You're Lucas's brother Nathan. You came to New York to see him. He's asleep in the next room." Didn't he see what this would do to his and Lucas's new relationship? Luke hated all the guys she dated. He would surely see it as some kind of act of betrayal. She wouldn't do that to either of them.

"I don't care about that Hales. He'd get used to it." Though Nathan didn't know Lucas half as well as Haley did, he did know Lucas was a decent guy. Reasonable. Sure he might have to get used to it, but he eventually would.

Nathan made a step towards Haley, but frowned when she stepped further away from him. What was going on?

Why couldn't he just let it go? Couldn't they just forget this had happened and go back to what they were before? Friends! Had he completely forgotten about the girlfriend he loved back in LA? Or was he just hoping she wouldn't find out about her? Either way Haley didn't want to be apart of it. She had been the girlfriend before. She knew what if felt like when girls like her came along. She would never become the 'other woman'. Never make a man leave his relationship on a chance like that. She had standards.

"I don't want to Nathan. I don't want to do this." although it was a lie, she was sure it would be the only thing to get through to him, without telling him she knew about Peyton back in California, and admitting she had listened in to one of his private phone calls. "I just want to be friends."

"Don't lie Haley." his frustration and confusion grew. She was as into that kiss as he was. He knew it. Why was she acting like this? Surely it wasn't all about Lucas. Why was she being difficult? "You wanted me to kiss you."

He made another attempt to lean forward and capture her lips, but stopped when he felt her hands push at his chest.

"Nathan stop." Why couldn't he just get the hint and stop? It was taking all her strength to keep resisting him, when they both knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her. But she wouldn't do this to Peyton, the girl she didn't even know. She wouldn't do that to anyone. And she didn't want Nathan to regret it in the morning, when the alcohol in his system had worn off, and he realised what he had done. This was best. "You're drunk Nathan. You don't want this and I don't want this. Goodnight."

With that, she turned around, and entered her bedroom, closing the door. Nathan was a good enough guy not to follow her straight into her room. She kicked off her heels, and climbed on top of her bed, not even bothering to take off her dress, and thought about what had just happened. She knew she wasn't going to get much sleep.

Nathan felt his anger build as he stared at her door. Had he really read the signs all wrong? He didn't think so, but obviously he was wrong. Haley had been so final with what she had said. She didn't him.

Nathan knew he couldn't stay here after what had just happened. He wasn't drunk at all, despite the beers he had drunk, the kiss had definitely sobered him up. Quickly writing a note to Lucas, he made his way out of the apartment, glancing back only once to look at her closed bedroom door.

It was late, but he was sure a walk through the still noisy city would help clear his head, and let him get some sleep once he got back to his barely furnished apartment. Though he doubted it. Tonight had been such a mess.

* * *

**So there it is! Not worth the wait huh? :P DONT HATE ME! :)**

**So I've been working on a number of different fics, and I will start posting them when I have finished with this fic (which I don't think is going to be very long... sorry!).. Do you want me to also continue adding some drabbles to Always Attract, or just focus on this, and my new fics?**

**Anyway... Please review! Even if it's bad... I'm using this fic to improve my writing, and my confidence so I need all the help I can get! Readers are the best teachers!**

**PLEASE REVIEW**


	7. Chapter 7

***hides* I AM SO SORRY! I know it's taken so long to write this and I apologise, because I hate it so much when people don't update their stories! My only excuse is that a lot of drama and crap has gone on in my life these past few months that have made not want to write, and basically took all of my inspiration away from me. :/ And then I got obsessed with CSI: NY and Danny and Lindsay... I reccomend for everyone out there. If you love Naley you'll love them! **

**Anyway I slaved through this chapter, and it went a totally different direction that I planned (of course) but I kinda like it, so I hope it was worth the wait!**

**Disclaimer is the same as usual.**

**Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

Nathan waited impatiently for Peyton's plane to come in. His mind was elsewhere, namely focused on a certain Haley James, who seemed to invade every single one of his thoughts. All he could feel was her lips on his, her hands touching him, the heat of her body against his. He was so screwed.

He forced himself to focus on trying to spot Peyton in the busy airport terminal. He missed her so much. She was the only constant in his life, the only person he had to rely on for most of his life. They were two complete opposites, he the arrogant, troubled basketball star, and she the snarky, moody artist, and yet they were closer than any other two friends in the world. People had often commented that they acted like a married couple at times, opposites attract and all that, but the idea of them ever being romantically involved together was far too disturbing to the both of them. He shuddered at the thought.

They had a similar relationship as Lucas had with Haley, though where he got the impression that Lucas and Haley rarely fought over anything more important than what movie to go see, he and Peyton fought all the time. Over anything. They infuriated each other, but after cooling down, they would both make up, and it helped them. It was just how their relationship worked.

He couldn't wait for her to meet Lucas, and the friends he had made in New York. She was very supportive of the new life he was building in the East, even though she missed him. And he was glad she was visiting now. He definitely needed a chick perspective on what was going on with Haley. Peyton would know the answer, or at least, she'd help him rationally think things through.

He saw her blonde curly locks first, in the crowd of people just off the long flight from LA. He grinned as she made her way towards him, an old rock tee and skinny jeans on, and her patented leather jacket on. Life as a professional certainly hadn't changed her, and he doubted anything ever would.

"Look what the cat dragged in." he drawled as she approached him, before opening his arms and hugging her tightly to him as she laughed.

They both Drew back from each other and drew each other in.

"New York suits you Nate."

And it did. From the few seconds she had to analyse him, she could already see how much more relaxed he was. He seemed so at peace and at ease, more so than she had ever seen him in her life, and she supposed it had something to do with the Dan sized shadow that was no longer floating above him. She really hated that creep.

Nathan just scoffed, and they both caught up as they made their way to the baggage claim. They chatted about Peyton's break up with her boyfriend Jake Jageilski, which Nathan had wished he had been in LA for to comfort her, and she told him of her brief fling with Peter from Fall Out Boy. Boy did Peyton make him laugh.

They had about 2 hours to kill until they had to meet everyone for lunch, where he would be introducing Lucas, Haley, Brooke and Julian to Peyton, so they made their way to his new apartment to help her get settled in to his guest room.

* * *

"So let me get this straight, Nathan's bringing his girlfriend, from California, to meet us all for dinner and you only told me now?"

Lucas had asked Haley to organise dinner and round everyone up, but despite being an organisation freak she'd left it all to the last minute.

"For the last time, yes."

Brooke had been grilling her for over an hour for not telling her sooner.

"But that only gives me an hour to get ready! Why are you so disorganised? It isn't like you!" Haley sighed. She didn't know why she had left it to the last minute, just every time it came to invite them all to meet Nathan's... girlfriend, she'd somehow found something more important to do. It wasn't her fault. "And since when does Nathan have a girlfriend?"

"I don't know Brooke. But are you coming or not?" she snapped in reply. She really wasn't in the mood for this, and still had to get ready, and cook something. She thought this would all be a bit easier if it was in her own home, with her own food. Though she wasn't sure how she'd be able to handle the guilt when Peyton was sitting in her living room, with what had happened there last week.

"Ouch. You've been in a crabby mood all week Haley, what's going on? And don't say it's PMS, because you never get PMS." She didn't want to admit Brooke was right, so just chose to ignore it, hoping Brooke got the message o leave it alone. "And of course I'm coming. I want to see how hot Nathan's chick is."

"Good, see you at 5."

Happy to have that conversation of the way, Haley went back to making lunch, trying to keep her eyes from wandering to her bedroom door, and remembering what it felt like to have Nathan press her against it.

Thirty minutes later, the doorbell went, and Haley ran to get it, seeing Brooke on the other side of the door, make up bag in hand. Before she could even say anything, Brooke had marched into the apartment.

"Since you won't talk to me on the phone," Haley almost pointed out to her that they, had in fact, spoken on the phone for over an hour, "I have decided to get ready here. Now tell me what's bothering you?"

"Nothing is bothering me!"

Brooke watched as her best friend strutted over to her bedroom door, and to anyone that didn't know her as well as Brooke did, wouldn't think there was anything bothering her. Her head was held high, her walk full of purpose, and apart from the slight temper she'd acquired, nobody would have seen any difference. But Brooke could see. Haley had been funny all week, and she could tell by the way Haley had chewed up her bottom lip that something was wrong. Brooke even noticed the slight pause, and intake of breath Haley took before entering her room.

The only thing Brooke could think of to do, was to follow her.

"Don't insult me tutor girl, we've been friends for a long time now, and I know when something is wrong with you." Brooke declared, plonking herself down on Haley's bed, glancing around at the mess the room was in. Haley never had her room in such a mess, and Brooke took this as clue one that something big had happened to her best friend.

They both stayed in relative silence, Haley standingnby the window contemplating the New York skyline, and Brooke sitting on the bed, waiting for her friend to open up a little. Brooke, who was lays very open with her feelings and emotions hated seeing her friend bottle everything up inside her. She also hated the fact that Haley was so good at it... She desperately wanted to know what was going on, and what had set Haley off.

"Nathan kissed me."

It came out as barely a whisper, so quiet that Brooke wasn't really sure she had heard right.

"Nathan... As in tall dark handsome Nathan, brother of Lucas, stranger from the elevator, Nathan?" Brooke asked, just to confirm what she thought she heard. When she saw Haley give a slight nod, though still facing away from her, she continued, "did you kiss him back?"

Haley's face heated up as she turned around to give her friend a pointed look, which quickly turned into a glare when she saw the huge grin on her friend's face.

"Did you more than kiss him?" Brooke asked coyly, her perfectly shaped eyebrow raised, the grin still plastered over her face. This was gold. She knew there was something between those two, you could practically cut the sexual tension with a knife.

"Brooke! Would you be serious for like five minutes!"

Haley huffed as she made her way over to her bed and flopped down next to Brooke, dramatically falling backwards to lie down beside her friend.

"Haley and Nathan sitting in a tree. K-I-S..."

"BROOKE!" Haley exclaimed as she threw one of her pillows at her best friend. She couldn't help but join in with Brooke's giggles. "This is serious!" Though the small smile on her face told her friend elsewhere.

"What's so serious? You're both adults, you can do what you like." Brooke reasoned. She really just wanted her friend to be happy.

"He's Lucas's brother. His estranged, long lost brother from the other side of the country! Can you imagine Lucas's face if he heard this conversation?"

Brooke laughed a little at the squint Haley pulled, a perfect replica of Lucas's trademark look. "Lucas likes Nathan, they've bonded. He would get over it."

What about his girlfriend, Brooke? His very pretty and successful girlfriend, which I know she'll be, because just look at him," she gave Brooke a pointed look, to which Brooke could only grin and nod. She may be happily engaged, but she had to admit Nathan Scott was damn fine. "With said girlfriend currently being given a tour of New York City, and I'm betting a tour of his bedroom too, right this very minute. Oh and let's not forget the fact that they are both coming over to dinner in a few hours. Why are you still grinning?"

During Haley's rambling, she couldn't help the grin on her face growing. She'd never seen her friend get all torn up about something like this. Especially not over a guy. It was quite refreshing.

"I've never seen you jealous before," she said simply.

"Oh I'm not jealous. I'm mad!" Haley exploded. "He kissed me and messed about with all my feelings, knowing that he had a girlfriend back in California."

"It was only a kiss, tutor girl... Unless you like him?"

She watched as her friend just looked at her, her internal conflict and confusion evident on her face. Haley had it bad for the dark haired Scott.

"And screw his girlfriend. I bet she's a total stuck up bitch. I hate her already."

Haley laughed at that, feeling slightly better about the upcoming dinner. Brooke hated very few people, but her loyalty for her close friend's was fierce, and her heart strong. She always knew the right words to lighten her mood, and without saying a word, they both looked through Haley's wardrobe to pick her an outfit to wear.

"I swear, I hate her!"

* * *

"I love her already. Can we keep her Haley?"

So much for hating her, though Haley couldn't really blame Brooke for that. Nathan and Peyton had arrived an hour ago, and even Haley had to admit she was kind of awesome. They'd mostly kept their conversation to work, and they'd laughed at all the stories she'd told them about the stuck up music executive's at the record label, and all the divas she'd had to work with. And in turn, Peyton had listened to what all they did with wonder and admiration in her eyes, asking them genuine questions, and seeming actually interested in what 15 year olds were talking about on the playground.

Unsurprisingly she was absolutely gorgeous. Blonde, curly hair in a messy style that seemed to sit perfectly, and suit her to a T. She was tall and with a figure to die for, and wore vintage-y clothes that she'd combined into her own style. Brooke had practically gushed when she'd walked in the door.

What bothered Haley was the way Nathan kept glancing at Peyton as she talked to his new friends, as if not believing that she was really there with them all. And the way his eyes would then turn to focus on her's, looking hurt and confused. Did he really have any right to look hurt?

Snapping out her thoughts, she grabbed a few plates of food and passed them over to Brooke.

"She sure is pretty awesome." She tried to sound enthusiastic, but it came out more sad.

"Aw Haley I'm sorry. She's a bitch, I hate her."

Giving her friend a playful shove, wary of the plates she was now holding, she laughed letting her friend know it was okay. "Don't. Even I like her. Guess I'll just have to suck it up and move on, right?"

Grabbing the rest of the plates, she made her way out of the kitchen and into the living room where the rest of her dinner guests were waiting, placing the food on the dining room table they had.

"Serves up!"

Nathan, Peyton, Julian, Brooke and Lucas quickly jumped up, following their noses to the warm, tasty food, and took their seats at the table, as Haley made a quick journey to the kitchen to grab her own plate. While she'd once been the master of juggling many plates, in her years as a waitress at Karen's Cafe, she had been out of practice for some time and hadn't wanted to risk making a fool of herself by dropping everyone's dinner.

"Haley this food is fantastic! I think I need a few lessons." Peyton praised as she took a bite of her pasta dish, making Haley blush as everyone joined in with praise.

"My mom taught me mostly, but I gained a lot of experience from Lucas's mom working at the cafe. Believe me, this has nothing on Karen's dishes."

Just thinking about the food at Karen's Cafe made her mouth water, and her heart ache for Tree Hill. She really needed to think about making a trip home at some point, though she supposed with Brooke and Julian's vastly approaching nuptials it wouldn't be long until she was there.

"Aw you're lucky you had a cool cafe to work at when you were in high school. I spent my teenage years working in a record store with a guy that spoke about himself in third person."

"He did not!" Julian laughed, loving all Peyton's little anecdote's.

"I'm serious! 'You know you want Chris Keller, just give in, babe'" she declared, her impression of the guy making them all laugh. "Back me up Nathan."

"The guy was a tool." Nathan laughed, while grabbing the bottle of wine and topping everyone's drinks up.

"So you and Nathan have known each other a long time then?" Brooke inquired, smiling friendly.

"Unfortunately..." Nathan replied, his eyes with a teasing glint, until Peyton hit him up the back of the head, muttering "jerk" under her breath, making them all laugh again.

"Since we were kids. We lived on the same block and basically grew up together."

"Oh whoa, I didn't realise it was that long." Brooke hadn't realised quite how close the two were. They were kind of like Lucas and Haley, without the dating of course. "When did you get together?"

Nathan looked confused for a minute. He hadn't realised that he'd told them about him and Peyton dating briefly when they were in high school, and were ruled by their hormones. In theory it had seemed like a good idea, being such good friends and having some kind of chemistry with each other, but it had only lasted a few weeks, when they had gotten over the excitement of making out, and realised that it really felt like they were kissing their sibling. He liked to block that time of his life out, but he must of mentioned it in passing at some point. Weird.

"Eh... Sophomore year, I think it was. Possibly end of freshman year?" he said glancing to Peyton for confirmation.

"Sophomore year."

This time it was Lucas who spoke. "Whoa, you've been together quite a while then!"

Both Peyton and Nathan choked on the food they were eating, before looking at each other in horror.

Peyton was the first one to recover, taking a drink of her wine, and trying not to laugh as she looked around the group, their expressions making it harder and harder not to.

"What?"

She looked at Nathan who looked just as baffled as she felt, though less amused, as he glanced at Haley at the end of the table.

"You're still dating, right?"

Julian's head ached as he tried to make sense of the conversation. Peyton was Nathan's girlfriend right? That's what he'd been told.

"You seriously thought we were still dating? Me and him?" Peyton couldn't hold in her laughter any more. The idea was too funny. Sure there had been that short time when they were teenagers, but the thought of it now was just weird. "Gross!"

Nathan looked bewildered as he looked around at his friend's. Where had they gotten that idea from? He was sure, positively sure that he'd never mentioned Peyton in anything other than a friendly way. Sure he hadn't specified her as his best friend, but he hadn't thought that he'd needed to, thinking they'd assume they were like Lucas and Haley. Oh how wrong he was.

Well tonight hadn't turned out the way he thought it would. After to talking to Peyton before the dinner, she had convinced him to go talk to Haley after dinner and sort all the mess out. He hated the awkwardness at the moment. He'd assumed dinner would be a quiet affair, some wine and some laughs, and would help him build up the courage to talk to Haley.

Haley James. No wonder she had been so funny with him. She thought he had a girlfriend back in LA. She thought Peyton was his girlfriend. Getting over the gross factor of the image, he let his amusement build up, probably helped by the alcohol in his system, and let laughter take over his body.

What the hell was going on? One minute they had been discussing food and now Peyton and Nathan were in hysterical laughter. She could hear slight laughter to her left, and knew Brooke was also giggling to herself, while looking blatantly at Haley.

Well now she felt like a fool. She hated it when people just assumed she and Lucas were a couple. It was entirely possible for boys and girls to remain completely platonic friends, and she was proof of that. She'd let her emotions, and feelings confuse her and make Peyton into something she wasn't. She felt stupid.

She was barely listening to the conversation that had returned to the table as she thought over the past couple days. Did that mean Nathan actually liked her? He had kissed her hadn't he? He had kissed her and she'd pushed him away, like she had been doing ever since she had found out about his 'girlfriend'. No wonder he seemed pissed and hurt that she was ignoring him. She'd... Well she'd been acting a bit of a bitch to him.

She'd been a jealous, ignorant bitch. She should have just asked him about it when she heard him on the phone when they were apartment searching. It would have saved her a hell of a lot of confusion and moping. She wished she hadn't pushed him away when he kissed her. Maybe it had been for the best, with him being her best friend's brother, and being new to the city, but if she was honest with herself, she really wished she'd just dragged him into her bedroom and let him do to her what she had been dreaming about lately.

Feeling her thoughts make her cheeks tint a little, she quietly excused herself, picking up the discarded plates expertly, and making her way into the kitchen, only stopping when she felt a hand on her waist, and another take the plates from her. She knew who it was without even turning round, the feeling of him pressed behind her nearly making her drop all the dishes.

"I'll take them." He grabbed the plates from her, stepping in front of her with the in his hands, awkwardly trying to position them the way she had. "You cooked, me, Lucas and Julian will clean up. Go chat with the girls."

With a smirk, he completed the few steps to the kitchen, Lucas and Julian on his heels.

Nathan smiled as he made his way to the kitchen. He was glad everyone liked Peyton. In the short time he had been there, Lucas, Haley, Brooke and Julian had become good friends of his, and he was glad that some things from his old life could mix with the new life he was starting in New York. Placing the plates in the dishes, he grabbed the washing up liquid as Julian and Lucas grabbed dishtowels.

"Dude, you could have told us she wasn't your girlfriend! She probably thinks we're all dunces."

Julian hit him with the dishtowel, laughing at what had happened.

"I didn't think I had to." He couldn't help the small chuckle.

"Well you could have told us she looked like that. Damn." Lucas laughed at the look Nathan shot him, recognising it as an almost identical match to a look of his own. Julian laughed too. "Don't worry, I know best friend's are off limits. It would be like you and Haley. Weird. Doesn't mean I can't admire from afar though, right?"

Normally Nathan would have told Lucas to keep his eyes to himself. Although he knew Peyton was fiercely independent, and could definitely handle her own, he also knew she had been hurt way to many times to count, and he always acted as overprotective as a big brother. However something about Lucas's joke troubled him.

"Peyton's her own person. She can see who she likes."

Lucas, thinking Nathan was joking, and knowing his own protectiveness over Haley snorted. Yeah right Nathan would be okay about him seeing Peyton while she was here. She lived on the other side of the country, and was only over for a couple of weeks. It would only end in heartbreak. He knew he'd never allow some guy to have some quick paced relationship with Haley, and mess about her feelings, and then leave.

"Wouldn't that be like incest or something?" Julian laughed.

"Yeah man, don't worry. She's off limits. I get it."

The conversation soon turned to sports, as the guys washed the dishes in as manly a way as they could. Nathan tried to ignore the slight guilt he could feel in his gut as he thought about Haley. He really needed to talk to her, and Lucas too. He just didn't know how he was going to go about it.

* * *

Now that she knew that Peyton was just a friend, Haley found herself relaxing a little and joining in the conversation a little more. She could still feel Nathan's eyes on her at times, but she tried to ignore it as she got to know her dinner guest from LA.

She was surprised by how much she had in common with the girl. They both had similar tastes in music (and Haley had to admit she was insanely jealous of all the musicians Peyton had got to see live, and even meet), and both carried a similar attitude. Take no bullshit from nobody. Haley found herself thinking that somewhere down the line, hopefully, she and Peyton could become pretty good friend's.

"I can't believe you're both getting married! That's so exciting. I can't even imagine myself settling down!"

They had turned the discussion to Brooke's wedding, while the guys got some beers and spoke about something else.

"I can barely believe it myself! I've always been the total commitment-phobe, but I guess it just takes the right person to change that. I couldn't imagine marrying anyone else."

The way she was gazing at Julian, and the cheeky grin he returned, feeling her looking at him warned Haley's heart. She'd been rooting for them since the start. Brooke had gone through a lot of crap from people at school, her parents and the people she had interned with, but when she met Julian it had all just clicked. She'd never seen Brooke happier. He'd really helped her become more confident in herself, not just her fake confidence, but real pride in who she was. And he made her believe in love.

They were complete opposites, yet they fitted together perfectly. Haley could only hope one day she'd find that person for herself.

"So what are the plans then?"

Brooke quickly went into every detail of the wedding, and Haley tuned out a little, having heard it all a million times. Brooke had had everything planned before Julian had even asked the question, though she hadn't banked on him having his own idea of a dream wedding. With a bit of compromise (and Julian having to accept that Olivia Newton John would not be singing their first dance) they'd come up with the perfect plan, and had put into motion. Everything was booked, and sorted, and Brooke was making the dresses and tuxes herself.

"And of course you have to come!"

Brooke loved Peyton already. She could totally see herself becoming best buddies with her, and wanted her to be at the wedding.

"No, no I don't want to intrude..."

"Nonsense! Nathan has a 1 on his invite anyway. I'll just insist that he takes you."

Hearing his name, Nathan's ears perked up, and he tuned into the girl's conversation. "I'll do what?"

"You're taking Peyton to our wedding as your plus one," Brooke responded, making it clear that there was no argument. Not that he would have. Who else was he going to take? The only date he could think of was sitting in the room, and was the Maid of Honour with her very own invite.

"Well, of course I'm going to take my beautiful, loving girlfriend," he responded with a wink, before bursting out laughing, making a joke of the earlier situation.

The group of friend's all burst into laughter, Haley included, laughing at her own stupidity. They continued talking about everything and anything, until Brooke and Julian declared they were heading home, Peyton and Nathan following them out.

Haley had just gotten herself settled into bed, having done a quick tidy up of the apartment before heading to her room, when she heard her phone buzz.

Glancing at the screen, she saw Nathan's name pop up, alerting her she had a message. Quickly opening it she read.

"Sorry for any confusion tonight. I think we need to talk. N x"

* * *

**Ahahaaha ending it there xD So I hope that was worth the wait! I just want to take this opportunity to point out that I love Brooke. I hope season nine (which I really really really hope is going to be worth it) will have more fun, light moments between Brooke and Haley. Anyone feel like sometimes they're completely unrelated separate characters? **

**And I was thinking of adding some more little Always Attract's? Good idea? Bad idea? or just "stop getting distracted, and hurry up and actually write this story"? :P**

**Anyhoo... Please Review :) they make me all smiley xD**


	8. Chapter 8

**Yes your eyes do not decieve you! THIS IS A CHAPTER UPDATE! pleasedonthrowthingsatme...**

**So this isn't a very good chapter update and I'm not really a fan of this story myself, but I feel that out of respect to my readers I should at least finish it! I actually finished this chapter a few weeks ago and completely forgot about it! (I was slightly drunk, and the next morning thought it had been a dream until I found it a few days ago... - I'm not even joking). But here it is!**

**I've not really read through it, but what I have read seems all jumbled up and confusing, but it's the best I can do! I'm gonna start updating more regularly and maybe start a CSI:NY and a new OTH one soon, so look out for that! This one'll be finished up quite quickly too! Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 8

She was just about to buzz up to Nathan's apartment, where she was meeting him, when she heard her name being called from down the street.

Turning round, she saw Nathan running towards her, a paper bag with a logo she recognised as her favourite bakery in his hands. Her stomach erupted into nervous butterflies at the sight of him however. They were meeting to 'talk', and if she was honest, she had no idea how it was going to go.

"I thought you said to meet here?" she asked once he had caught up with her at the entrance to his apartment building. Trying to play it cool despite how nervous she was, she added "And there better be a donut in there for me," pointing at the bag.

With a smirk, he pulled a smaller package from inside the bag, handing it to her. "Grabbed us a snack. Thought could go for a walk?"

Everything felt so strange and awkward, almost foreign to their short, although very easy, new friendship. With a slight nod, she took a bite into her favourite donut that she'd unwrapped as he'd been talking, before starting to head down the sidewalk.

"Wait, Hales," he called her back, "Left my phone upstairs. Wait here and I'll run up and grab it."

Grumbling impatiently, she tried to ignore his smirk. "I'll just come up with me. Don't want anyone to think I'm just creeping about the streets."

Easing the tension slightly, he held the door open for her before heading over to the elevator, not noticing that she was following behind him.

"Can't we just take the stairs? With our track record we'll end up stuck in there again."

Laughing, he grabbed her hand, while pulling her into the elevator that had just opened and pressing his floor.

"Haley, you do realise what floor I live on, right?" Leaning against the elevator wall, he sighed when she jerked her hand out of his. "You've probably jinxed us to.

And of course, as he said it, they both felt the elevator come to a slow, nowhere near their stop, and the lights promptly shut off. However instead of freaking out, crying, or becoming hysterical, she started laughing, Nathan soon joining in as they both slumped against the elevator door, tears running down their faces.

* * *

He had actually been quite surprised when Peyton had phoned him. Since meeting her the week before, they'd been texting a lot, and hanging out as a group, but this was the first time she'd asked him to spend time alone.

She'd suggested going to see a movie, but Lucas, knowing how movie theatre in the middle of Manhattan could get, changed the plan, and was currently heading for a movie day in Nathan's apartment.

After Peyton buzzed him, he noticed the elevator seemed to be stuck at a floor, and prepared himself for the treck up to Nathan's apartment, thanking God that playing basketball regularly had helped him keep up his fitness. He definitely didn't want to turn up all sweaty and blotchy after running up a thousand steps.

He reached the floor, noticing Peyton standing at the apartment door, slouched against the doorframe. Damn did she look good. Dressed for a movie day she was wearing a pair of what looked like comfortable jeans and a signature band tee, which he recognised as 'The Cure'.

"Hope you didn't break a sweat there, Luke?" she smirked, something she had no doubt picked up from years hanging around his brother. "Nathan's away out for most of the day so it's just us. You better have brought some good movies."

"Course." He grinned confidently, and help up the bag in his hand. Leaning against the wall next to the door. "A Cure fan I see?"

She scoffed lightly, shoving his shoulder. "Course."

Moving past her to get into the apartment, he tried to his own smirk. "Really? I've always thought their music is kinda whiny…"

He flinched as she reached out to shove him into the apartment, closing the door behind her, shouting "You did not just call the Cure whiny!"

* * *

Meanwhile in the elevator, things weren't going as smoothly. After they had calmed themselves down, they'd called the technician who'd informed them they'd be stuck for at least a good hour.

That had been 10 minutes ago, and since then, both had sat at opposite ends of the elevator, much like the first time they met, making awkward small talk.

Having quite enough of it, Nathan decided to end the uncomfortable silence.

"We gonna keep doing this Haley?"

Haley's head quickly snapped up from where it had been examining the stained floor. Her eyes locked with his, and all she could see was the confusion and hurt. She didn't mean for it to be so awkward, but she couldn't help it. All she had thought about since it had happened was how he kissed her. She'd never been kissed like that before. Ever.

It didn't help either that all she wanted to do was pin him up against the wall of the elevator and repeat the experience.

However, she could also remember the pain and hurt she'd felt when she'd remembered about his girlfriend. Even when she found out Peyton was just a friend, it still hurt to know that Nathan hadn't thought to tell her about the girl from home. His best friend. She knew it wasn't fair, as she'd kept most of her life to herself, and there were things she hadn't opened up to him yet, But she'd told him everything she knew about Lucas.

Lucas. Another problem with this attraction between them was that it would hurt Lucas. He and Nathan had only started to make that connection that they should have had at birth, to really become brothers. She couldn't take that away from him, by entering a relationship with Nathan. Make Nathan's appearance all about her rather than what it was actually for. Plus, if they didn't work out, what then? It would put strain on their relationship, as well as hers and Lucas's, and make everything so awkward that she knew she couldn't let that happen. She cared too much about both of them for that. They deserved the chance to be brothers.

Plus she was pretty sure it would seriously weird him out if he knew the kind of thoughts and dreams she'd been having, all starring his brother. It would be like her when he admitted to having a sex dream involving her sister Taylor when they were 15. Gross.

However the main factor had to be that she simply couldn't trust herself into another serious relationship. She promised herself that moving to New York, becoming herself again, she was going to focus on her career, her friends. Entering something with Nathan, this man she could barely control herself around as it was, would be too difficult. And she knew that if anything happened between them, it'd never just be something casual. She'd seen the way he looked at her, and she knew she looked back at him the exact same way. It way not have been fair to him, but for herself… she couldn't risk opening herself up like that.

"We should probably have that talk, huh?"

To say she'd been avoiding him since he'd text her would be an understatement. She wasn't sure what he was going to say, but she knew she wouldn't like it. She'd came up with excuses every day up until now on why she couldn't meet up with him, and even she knew how lame they sounded. She just knew that whatever he said would be difficult.

The most likely reason he wanted to talk was to tell her that that night in her apartment had been a mistake. That he shouldn't have kissed her, and that he didn't want to make anything of it. She should be relieved to hear something like that, so that they could go back to the new friends they were beginning to come, but she knew it would break her heart into tiny pieces. As well as cut deep into those insecurities she held inside her heart.

The other thing he could say to her would be that he went every moment of it. However she didn't let her hopeful heart even think it. Even if it was the case, she knew what it would mean. Although, she wanted him more than she had ever wanted anyone before in her life, she knew what would happen if they did get together. All the hurt it would inevitably cost. And so it would be up to her to break his heart, to see his warm eyes fill with great hurt, and the scary thing was, she was sure if it came to it, she wouldn't be able to do it.

"Why have you been avoiding me?"

Not even just for the past week neither. Even since they'd gone apartment hunting she'd been avoiding him, but she'd got more crafty with her excuses the past week.

Since the night he'd introduced Peyton to his new friends, and he asked her if they could talk so he could understand why'd been so hot and cold, she'd found some way to completely avoid him.

The first night, she'd said she was going out with her colleagues. For the day following that she had a pile of marking to do. The next day she was shopping with Brooke after work and would be too tired. The day after that she was feeling ill. The excuses had kept on coming, until he was pretty sure she had run out. He'd eventually had to go through Lucas, who he knew could smell Haley talking bullshit a mile away, to ask her, knowing full well she wouldn't be able to say no to him.

Not that Lucas really understood what was going on. He'd been kind of quiet and secretive the past week, smiling at his phone every time he got a text. It had been kind of annoying, but at least that distraction, whatever it was hadn't allowed him to see what was going on between the two friends.

Haley glanced cautiously at him, taking her time to answer him, weighing out her options. Tell the truth, or make up another excuse.

"I haven't been avoiding you Nathan," excuse it was then. The truth was too hard. "I've just been really bu…"

"Cut the crap Haley. After living with Dan for most of my life, I kind of know when someone is lying to me." The hurt she could see in his eyes in that moment cut straight to her soul. "What did I do? We were getting along great and then, bam, you're all hot and cold."

He was letting his anger control him, and had jumped up to start pacing in the small confined space. He hated this. He hated it so much. He raked his brain as he thought of what he could have done wrong. I mean, sure he'd kissed when he probably shouldn't have, but she was just as into it as he was. She wanted it just as much as he had. Hadn't she?

Knowing her fiery personality, he expected her to jump up and put her own bit in, and so was surprised when she stayed seated, almost whispering.

"Why do you always ask "what did I do?"

Looking down to her, he saw not anger, but sad concern in her deep, brown eyes.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I said, why do you always ask what _you_ did? You always assume it's your fault."

Had she done this to him? Had it been her who had made him always assume it was him in the wrong? He had done nothing wrong. She supposed he had kissed her, but somehow, as much as she knew it shouldn't have happened, and how it couldn't happen again, she couldn't describe it as wrong. Nothing wrong could surely feel that good.

"I don't know… It usually is me that messes everything up."

She could see him try to smirk, but looking into his eyes, those blues that looked right into his soul, all she could see was sadness.

"Nathan…"

He shrugged nonchalantly, looking right into her eyes. "I grew up with Dan. I guess feeling like a failure is an old habit."

Slowly standing up, she tried to reach out for him, but he quickly shrugged her off. He knew what she was doing, and he wasn't having any of it.

"Stop changing the subject Hales." Even once the engineer fixed it, they weren't leaving this damn elevator until they talked. Until he found out what was wrong with her.

"I don't even know where to begin…"

They stood in silence, only inches apart for what felt like hours. She was so close his fingers were itching to reach out to her, but he knew he couldn't. He was pretty sure that was what started this whole mess in the first place.

He had prepared himself for the fact she probably didn't like him the same way he did. The irony of it: the one woman the self proclaimed playboy could ever see himself falling in love with is the one woman he can't have. Damn Lucas for having such amazing friends. He had accepted the fact now, and more than anything he wanted to be her friend. He could handle, well almost handle not being able to kiss her and love her the way she deserved to be loved, but there was no way he could handle not having her in his life at all.

He was jealous of Lucas. He'd been able to grow up with a stable family, a mother who actually cared, and a father of sorts who actually supported him. And to top it all up he had this great network of friends, and the girl. He seriously thought there must be something wrong with Lucas or something. How had he not even tried dating her at one point? Even he'd tried dating Peyton, though just thinking about it brought a bit of bile up his throat.

Sure he had had Peyton growing up. But they'd had a strange relationship from the start. They'd fought even more that they liked to kid on, but were close too. They'd become each other's home, and he'd shared most of his life with her. But even Peyton didn't hold a candle to the way he could open up to Haley.

So why was it so hard for her to open up to him?

"You're Lucas's brother."

That put an end to his trail of thoughts. What?

"Yeah…"

He looked at her to continue. Where was she going with this and what did his brother have to do with them?

"And you turned up after years of nobody even knowing you existed."

She wasn't sure if even she knew where she was going with this, but she went with it.

"You know that wasn't my fault… I didn't know he existed either…"

He treaded carefully, curious of where she was going with this.

"Okay scrap this, I have no idea what I'm getting at."

She smiled at him, and even though he was now even more confused that he had been all week he smiled back at her.

Haley herself had become even more confused. She couldn't think of a logical way to express what she was feeling or thinking, or at least express it in a way that would make sense to Nathan. No wonder men always said women were confusing.

They remained in an awkward silent for another few minutes, neither really knowing where to look in the small enclosed space they were trapped in. She was just about to ask him what else was in the paper bag he'd left on the floor of the elevator, merely in an effort to break the silence, when he beat her to it.

"I'm sorry I kissed you."

Her heart sank, even though, in a round about way it was what she wanted to hear. Instead of letting it go, hopefuly along with all their awkwardness, she couldn't stop herself from asking why. And it was in that moment that he threw her a huge curve ball.

"Because you're sorry I kissed you."

Flabergasted, she wasn't really sure what to do. One side of her wished he'd just ended whatever weird chemistry they had, and made it clear there was no way anything was going to happen between them. It would at least have let her relax around him. However the other side of her exploded into butterflies. Did that mean he had wanted to kiss her as much as she had wanted him to? It was this side of her that made the other half completely forget about the past, and completely forget how wrong all of this was. Lucas's brother or not, she wanted this man. Maybe she'd regret not agreeing with him a few days from now, but right now she didn't care.

"I'm not sorry."

Why was she doing this? Nathan was getting pretty bored of it. One minute she was cold, the next she was saying things like that? He didn't know how to act around her. He was pretty sure he'd completely blown it with the way she'd been the past couple of weeks, and now she was saying she wasn't sorry he'd kissed her?

"I'm not sorry you kissed me."

She could see him processing her words, looking confused as hell, and she didn't blame him. Though, she repeated her statement more for herself than anything. To prove there was no going back.

The look he gave her then she would remember for the rest of her life. Never before had someone looked at her with such longing, such want, And in that moment she didn't see him as the new guy, or as Lucas's estranged brother. She didn't even see him as that fun guy she may have been attracted too but didn't want to admit. She just saw him as Nathan.

What happened next was neither one's fault, and neither knew who leaned in first.

Haley's stomach erupted into butterflies as his lips hit hers, and her arms automatically wrapped around his neck, her hands threading through his hair.

Nathan's hands gripped her hips as he moved the short distance to press her up against the elevator wall. He felt, rather than heard her moan as he slipped his tongue into her mouth to tangle with her own. Ever since that night in her apartment, he'd been dying to kiss her again, and now that he was, he wasn't sure how he'd ever survive a moment not kissing her. She was addictive.

The kiss was fast, and passionate, and nowhere near sweet. They were pouring weeks of frustration and confusion into it. So consumed were they that they barely noticed the voice through the intercom telling them that the elevator had been fixed, or they just didn't care as the elevator starting to move up the floors to Nathan's apartment.

Nathan's lips left hers once they had both ran out of air, however they simply travelled down her neck, nipping and sucking there. She let out an embarrassingly loud moan when he found her 'spot' just under her ear, and with a chuckle he started putting more pressure on it, determined to mark her as his own. Haley herself had always found hickeys trashy, but the way he was making her feel she didn't care. So long as he didn't stop.

The elevator doors 'binged' open, and he lifted his lips from her neck with a smirk.

"Guess we got a little carried away there."

Too focused on the way his body was pressed up against her, instead of answering, she simply grabbed his hand and all but dragged him out of the elevator and down the hall towards his door. There was no way she was finished with him. She could regret it in the morning, but at that moment, she knew what she wanted.

Nathan could hardly believe what was happening. That morning he was sure Haley was going to suggest something like them not spending as much time together. He had thought he had ruined it the other night. He still didn't know why she had acted so weird the past few weeks, but he knew she wanted him, so who was he to question that now? He would find out later, that he was sure of as he wasn't just going to let it lie, but right now all he wanted was her.

He pressed her up against the apartment door, taking the same position they'd had in the elevator, however instead of her arms just staying around his neck, they started to roam his body. Allowing his mind to clear a little, he wanted to make sure they were on the same page. Once they entered the apartment everything would change, and he wanted to be sure she knew what she was doing. Although his history would disagree, he wasn't going to take advantage of her, or what had been bothering her. She was too special for him to do that.

"Once we go in there we can't just go back to hanging out and pretending to be friends. Are you sure you want this?"

Taking her hands away from where they had been spread against his chest, she brought them up to hold his face. The husky and slightly out of breath voice had enlightened something that had been brewing since that night in her apartment, and she knew her decision.

"I want you."

Never before had she been so bold, but something about Nathan made her brave. Made her confident. And it was something she liked.

It was all Nathan needed to claim her lips again, pressing every inch of her body against his while he pressed her against the door. He was vaguely aware of her hands dipping into his back pocket and taking his keys, before she had opened the door, sending them both flying into the apartment.

After a second of them steadying themselves, she took her chance to be in control and pushed him up against the once again closed door, moaning as his tongue forced it's way into her mouth, while his hands reached down to grip her ass, pressing her to his.

Both were so consumed in each other that neither noticed the other couple sitting inside the apartment, though it was safe to say the blonde couple had noticed them.

Haley's hands had been just about to move under his shirt and up his body when she heard someone clear their voice from the living room end of the apartment. Both of them sprang apart as if electrocuted, their eyes first meeting each other's in shock before racing around the apartment for the intruder, finding Peyton and Lucas sitting on the couch in equal shock.

* * *

**So there it is! Please review (though I don't deserve it)! Hope you all haven't just given up on me!**


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